Mad World
by meaganl124
Summary: Sequel to Always Misquided! Scorpius Malfoy just wants to fit in at Hogwarts, but the history his parents left behind isn't helping, as everyone knows about it but him. And hanging out with his dad's rivals kids are never a good thing, when he likes Rose...
1. The New Trio

**A/N: Okay, I wasn't planning on writing this- but the idea popped into my head- and I thought, why not? **

***If you haven't read the original story- to which this story is the sequel- go read "_Always Misguided"_ first.**

**Now, can I have 5 reviews before I upload the next chapter?**

Scorpius's POV

I boarded the train and watched as my mother and father waved goodbye to me. After the train left the station, I smiled to myself and went to find a seat. I dragged my things along, and peeked into each of the compartments, looking for one that I could join in on.

"Hey, do you need a place to sit?" a girl asked, obviously in her first year too- since she had no emblem or certain color to her robs either. She sat with a few boys, who looked vaguely familiar.

"Uh, thanks. I do actually." I came in and put my things up in the overhead and when I sat down next to the girl, I realized everyone else was staring at me.

The girl, who had red, long, curly hair was quite fair and pretty actually. I then thought she was not as pretty as my mum though, my mum had extraordinary beauty, only seen in a few every generations, but Rose was a plain, simple kind of pretty. I immediately knew who she was then. She was a Weasley- the one Dad had threatened me not to get close to. I remembered my mum and dad suddenly, and looked past her and out the window, and drops of rain started to splatter against the window.

"Want one?" the girl held her hands, and in which was a chocolate frog.

"No thank you. I would hate to impose."

"You already have." an older boy grumbled.

"James! You jerk! No wonder Dad and the Order says you're exactly like your namesake! Grandpa James, the big troublemaker." the younger of the two nearly identical boys said, rolling his eyes. He was in my year too.

"Hi. I'm Albus." the boy held out his hand across the compartment seats to me. "Albus Potter."

"Albus _Severus_ Potter." laughed the boy, that was apparently James.

"Oh- you're Harry Potter's boys! James and Albus!" I said, remembering what my mother had said.

"The one and only James Sirius." the older one stuck his head up proudly.

Albus shook his head. "He's a troublemaker that one, just like his namesakes-" James snapped his head towards his brother, sending him a glare. "I, on the other hand, am the more rational one- like my namesakes."

"Yeah- and watch him end up in Slytherin!" James laughed.

"Oh, so now Lily and Hugo aren't here- you tease me? Afraid to frighten the younger kids?"

"My brother and your sister already know about the evils of Slytherin, thank you." the girl put in nosily. She turned to me. "I'm Rose Weasley."

"Your parents are Ron and Hermione Weasley, aren't they?" I gasped. I knew James, Albus, and that Lily girl from the platform were the Potter kids.

She nodded.

"I'm Malfoy. Scorpius Malfoy." I smiled slyly.

The boys gasped, but Rose smiled knowingly. "So I've heard." Then her grin faltered. "My dad doesn't me to get to close to you." she leaned in. "Because you're a pureblood."

I narrowed my eyes and she straightened up. "But I have no prejudice." I said innocently.

"You'll most definitely be a Slytherin…cunning you are." James piped up.

"James! Shut up!" the others yelled at the older boy.

"Ugh, you know what, fine. I'll go find Victoire or something- I need to be around someone more mature then you three." he stood, and left.

"You think he'd take the hint. He's a third year, and she's in what? Her final year? But who cares! The downer is gone!" Albus grinned.

I laughed.

"So…about that chocolate frog?" Rose eased back into the former conversation, holding up the frog still in her hand.

I hesitated, and looked up into her beautiful deep blue eyes, getting lost for words.

"Oh c'mon Scorpius! Take it!" Albus urged, breaking me from the trance.

"Oh, right." I took it.

"You know Scorp, you seem a lot nicer then your dad." Albus murmured.

I looked over to him. "Why's that?"

"Let's just say our dads had the hugest school rivalry you've ever seen. Your father is like the anti-Harry Potter."

"Oh…well, if my dad is so terrible- then why did my mum like him so much?"

Rose and Albus shrugged, and opened their mouths to say something, but James popped back in.

"Obvious, isn't it? She saw past his faults, and fell in love with him despite him cheating on her in her 3rd year."

"What?" I gasped. I had never heard of this. My dad would never cheat- he loved my mother way too much, and vice versa.

"Yeah- Yule Ball- he took Pansy Parkinson. She never married you know?"

"Yikes!" Rose smoothed her hair. "A old hag, with a dozen cats, can you imagine?" Rose shuttered.

"Yeah…she apparently was very bitter, and only had feelings for Draco Malfoy, but he wasn't interested, not really."

"How do you know more about my parents then me?" I questioned, standing up, almost squeezing the chocolate frog to bits.

"Everyone knows. Your parents are pretty famous- as much as our parents are. While my dad saved the world, your parents became a world-wide symbol for hope and love. I swear, I'm not making this up. There's Christmas ornaments with them hugging on it…it's quite disturbing. I bet your parents never brought it up, because you think their relationship and display of affection is "gross."" James used air-quotes.

But he was dead right.

"What else do you know?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Many things, but I'm not allowed to say anything for about half of that…only if someone else says something…"

I ran my hand through my white-blond hair nervously. "And the other half?"

"Don't feel like it. Don't worry, you'll know soon enough." James laughed evilly. And he was a Gryffindor? Slytherin seemed to fit him more from what I'd seen of him.

"James. What are you even doing back here?" Rose jumped in, trying to spare me from more feelings of betrayal and confusion. She looked to me, nervously, like my distress hurt her too.

Albus smirked. "Got kicked out from Victoire's cabin?"

"No, I came to get my robes. So I can change later, not last minute when we're about to arrive in Hogsmeade."

Albus' smirk faltered, then fell.

"Why must you always brag about going to Hogsmeade. We get it- you're 2 years older. Now go find some friends!" Rose stood and shoved James out the door, into the candy cart, and he toppled over, and the cart fell on top of him, all the treats flying everywhere.

The woman working the cart looked bewildered, and people poked their heads out their compartment doors to see what the source of the commotion was.

Albus and I laughed, then high-fived behind Rose. Rose pulled out her wand and held at the ready, pointed at her cousin.

"Now go away, before I use a spell on you to make you float in mid-air."

James stumbled up, and ran down the hall, looking back as he whimpered.

Rose turned to me, and we all started laughing.

"Well, it looks like the trio and enemy is slightly role-switched then our parents had it."

If my dad was the jerk, shouldn't I be the jerk? But instead it was James, and Albus, Rose, and I seemed to get on very well.

I wondered though, as we settled back into our seats, and talked the whole way to Hogwarts, what else I did not know about my parents. I pondered which facts they had so nonchalantly left out of a conversation…like about my Uncle Cedric. What happened to him? When I asked earlier that day, my parents had merely changed the subject. But I was sneaky, and would find out what I'd been missing out on, much to the dismay of Rose who didn't want to go searching for something I knew nothing about.

"It might not be all it seemed to be, and some things may things you wished you'd never learned about." Rose had warned me, but I ignored her warnings. She was like a mom…a really, really cute mom…No. I wouldn't go there. Our fathers would never allow it.


	2. Sorting Out Feelings and Houses

When we jumped the steps and onto the solid cement platform, I looked up from my feet, which I could not see with my feet covering them, up to the looming castle before me. It was so grand and old…and it looked eerily cool. I saw the bench a few feet away that read the word- Hogsmeade- but I heard someone calling for 1st years to come over to the boats.

"C'mon Scorpius!" Rose giggled, and rushed past me, grabbing my hand in the process and pulled me along with her. We ran through, and I, for one instant, thought of how my dad must've felt around my mum.

I felt tingles in my hand and I held back a soft smile.

There, a giant greeted us. Well, not literally a giant- but he was a half-giant according to my mum, and he was ordering us into the boats.

"Where's Albus?" I craned my neck as I stopped Rose from jumping into one of the boats.

Then, he appeared beside me, out of breath. He doubled over, putting his hands on his knees, breathing hard. "You…you…two…left me…back there…all alone…" he panted.

"Don't look at me Albus! It's your cousin who dragged me here!" I let go of her hand, inwardly feeling reluctant to do so, and held my hands up in front of me as if to surrender.

"Hey! You could've let go!" Rose pouted. Albus and I looked over to her, and the September wind blew through, and chilled the people around us, but it simply blew through her hair, and she looked slightly agitated, making her look like a goddess or nymph…I shook my head. It wasn't going to happen. I wouldn't let it, and even if I did, our parents wouldn't.

Albus, still panting, grumbled something I didn't quite catch, and went past Rose and got on the boat. As he sat, he looked at Rose and me, expectantly. "Well?" he raised an eyebrow.

Rose and I exchanged a look, then boarded the boat, letting her go first, and we all sat on the same bench.

We got to the castle, and the teacher leading us, turned and stopped.

The three of us, at the front of the line, all knew what was coming next.

We were about to get sorted.

We got in a single line, and I was glad that I was a Malfoy, unlike my mother who had been a Diggory. That way, I wasn't one of the first. And I was right by Albus, so we were able to talk to each other, annoying a few of the people in between us. The only upsetting thing was Rose had to go to the back of the line. Weasley. I did not mask my disappointment as she smiled slightly and went past us to the back of the line.

We entered the Great Hall, and I marveled at the grandness of the room. I felt many things had happened here, but didn't know what. I stared up at the ceiling as we walked down the aisle. It was like a clear, starry night sky, and I knew it was just an enchantment to make it look like that- but nonetheless it was beautiful and realistic.

As the line progressed, nerves bundled up inside the pit of my stomach. What if I was a Hufflepuff? Or a Ravenclaw? I wanted Slytherin to make my dad proud, but according to everyone else- there wasn't a person who was in Slytherin who didn't go bad. Did that mean my father was evil? Or done bad things?

I wanted slightly to be a Gryffindor, like my mother, and I knew Rose and Albus would be Gryffindors, and I wanted to be with my new friends.

"Malfoy, Scorpius!" I heard my name called off the list. I gulped and looked back, and saw Rose beaming, motioning me forward. I saw her face, and nodded, then broke free of the crowd, and went up in front of everyone else, as I sat on the stool, and the Sorting Hat was lowered down onto my head.

I sat, looking utterly confident, but was a mess on the inside.

"Hmm…yes another Malfoy- was beginning to wonder when I'd see another of you. I see you have a tiny splint of traits for Hufflepuff…Ravenclaw? No…neither will do for one of Malfoy blood. A strong preference for Gryffindor, I sense. Was your mother one?…Ah…I know, Denise Diggory. She was so hard to sort…unlike your father. Well, I guess if you have to be somewhere…SLYTHERIN!" the hat bellowed the name aloud, and the Slytherins clapped wildly, grinning.

Albus and Rose's smiles faltered a tiny bit, but gave me a thumbs up.

The people that were in between Albus and me were all sorted into Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.

"Potter, Albus!"

Albus nervously shuffled his feet up to the stool, but the hat didn't even touch his head basically as it said, "GRYFFINDOR!" immediately.

The Gryffindors whistled and cheered, and Albus seemed genuinely pleased.

He looked to his right, as if he was about to tell his best friend something, but then he saw it was just his brother, patting him on the back, and looked across the room, seeing me in Slytherin. He frowned, his newfound best friend was in the enemy house.

When Rose went up there, she was deemed a Gryffindor even quicker then Albus, as she was a "Weasley."

She joined Albus, and shot me an apologetic look.

The feast began, but I simply toyed with my food for a good quarter of an hour, until another Slytherin- named Gage Goyle- poked fun at how my girlfriend was in Gryffindor.

"Shut up." I told him, my gray eyes blazing for a second. Then, in anger, and in an effort to prove he was wrong, I started to eat.

He looked at me closely, then gasped.

"You're a Malfoy! Draco's son right?"

I narrowed my eyes, and nodded. "Why?"

"My dad is his best friend." he held out his hand, and I took it. I could use him to my advantage…

After dinner, we went down to the Slytherin common room, and Rose and Albus went upstairs with the rest of the Gryffindors.

I turned my head quickly, and kept speaking with Goyle.

We entered the common room, and its lights cast a greenish effect over the room. I looked to the fire and the couch in front of it…

It seemed romantic. As soon as I could, I went upstairs and was greeted by my eagle owl and my belongings on my bed.

I grinned and flopped down on my bed.

I was just glad that Slytherin classes were basically always with Gryffindor classes.


	3. Minor Annoyances

The next morning at breakfast, we got our schedules, and I quickly skimmed it. Potions, Transfiguration…Charms…D.A.D.A…Herbology…

I glanced up from the paper, and across the room to the Gryffindor Table where Rose was, smiling and pointing at her schedule, and looking at Albus', comparing the two, and grinning broadly, as she whipped her hair around as she turned back to her cousin.

I'd give anything to be over there right then. I put my schedule down and put one fist to my cheek, and looked bored, depressed, stoic…a little of all three. My mother had been in a family of Hufflepuff's, and she'd been a Gryffindor…how did she feel? Did she feel like an embarrassment to her family? She was with all her friends though…I was with none- unless you counted Gage- but he was like my sidekick- just as my dad was to Gage's dad- leader and sidekick. It was like the roles were switched on me and my mum. She got into the House she wanted, as did I, and was with her friends, but her family and others didn't understand…but my parents would be so proud that I was a Slytherin- but my mum would be happy for whichever house I got into. Something everyone loved about my mother was her ability to see the good in the bad, no matter what. Maybe that's how she fell in love with Dad…

"Hey." I felt Goyle nudge me from the side with his elbow. I ignored him, looking at my breakfast, suddenly losing my appetite. "Hey." he said again, and I ignored him again, but he kept doing it, and I snapped. I put my hands on the edges of the table, gripping them so tightly, that it was a danger I'd split a piece of the table off. I snapped my head to Goyle and exasperated, through my gritted teeth asked, "What?"

"Potions, first…exciting right?"

That. That was what he wanted to tell me? God. Fuck this. I stood up and put my legs over the bench, then started walking out of the room.

"Hey! Scorpy! Where ya' going?"

_Scorpy?_

What kind of freaking nickname was that? My parents called me "Scorp." But my parents were cool and were good with nicknames. My mum had two. "'Nise" and "Dee."

"Away from you idiots!" I yelled, and marched out, clutching my schedule in one hand that begged to punch the wall on my way out.

One third year snickered as I passed, so I stuck my hand out without thinking twice, and before I knew it, my hand pushed on his head, and his face fell into his breakfast, and his pumpkin juice split on his robes.

"Hey! First year!" the older Slytherin called after me. "You're dead!"

I spun around. "Am I really? Because you don't know me! You don't know what I'm capable of!"

"What's your name? Going to report you, we are." One of his friends laughed.

I turned on my heel to face him. "Malfoy. Scorpius Malfoy. Weren't you at the Sorting last night? Or are you just plain stupid?"

The whole gang of the foolish boy's faces became ashened as I spoke.

I smirked. "What? Afraid?"

"A…A…Malfoy…don't hurt us! Please!" a girl hugging one of the boys of the gang pleaded.

"What? What rubbish are you speaking of?" I demanded.

"Well, your father and his father were…" the girl gulped, then leaned in closer. "Death Eaters."

I froze. My dad could not be a Death Eater…at the time the war was going on- he was still in Hogwarts…but then again- why should that matter? I wanted to jump to my father's defense, and say that it was a lie…but it must be true…my parents were hiding everything from me.

I hated them, and only 24 hours ago, I was hugging them goodbye. How much could change in the course of a day? A lot apparently.

I then, ran away. Everyone was staring, and the teachers looked on sadly, then exchanged a look. I ran out, and got my books- then looked at the sheet of paper crumpled up in my fist. I smoothed it out, and saw where Potions was. So I found it, and no one was there, so I waited outside.

I was alone in the dungeons of a strange place. A place I barely knew, and I'd already had a huge scene because…because I was aggravated that I was a Slytherin. Maybe everyone was right, no good came out of being a Slytherin. It made so much sense if my dad and grandfather were Death Eaters…it'd explain so much…I hated him. How could he be evil? And how could my mother be so stupid as to still choose him? And why wasn't my dad in Azkaban?

I could picture me as a toddler, going with my mother in Azkaban, passing cells with the eerie and glassy stares of other prisoners. Then when we got to my father's cell…my mum would talk to him, while my dad fawned over me…unless the stress of the prison got to him and he already went insane…but it wasn't pretty to picture.

I hated my parents, and everyone else for that matter.

Then I thought of Rose. How her shocked face stood out in the crowd…would she hate me now? If she hated me, it was something I couldn't bear, even though we'd only known each other a day- I felt that we'd known each other forever, and we were already close…but was my outburst that morning enough to make her distance herself from me…that she would think she didn't know me after all…and her cousins would tell her that Slytherins and Gryffindors could never be friends.

I wish I could say my dad was a Slytherin and my mum a Gryffindor- but I didn't want to even speak anymore. Everyone probably thought I was a freak…and I'd already ruined everything because I make a bloody mess out of everything I do.

...

**A/N: This chapter went in a totally different direction then I'd intended...but I like it better this way. I like how the Scorose relationship is kinda like the Lily/Snape relationship in a way, and then like his parents of course...among other things...I like how he's a total mix of Denise and Draco. One second you're like- oh, he's more like Denise, then someting like this happens- and you're like- no...he's more like Draco now. Next chapter- Denise and Draco pay a little visit to the school and Scorpius may get the answers he's looking for...or maybe not...he may have to confront the school first.**

**Who else liked the vision of Draco living in Azkaban. Here's a secret- this a reference to a future chapter...very far from now...I'm getting more and more ideas for this story...and I think it could be as long as the original- but I highly doubt it.**

**Until next time! REVIEW!**


	4. Slytherins Have More Fun

I heard a crowd of people coming closer, their voices growing in volume every few seconds.

Then, they all saw me sitting on the ground and stared, wide-eyed me like I was lab specimen.

I stood up, and felt weak, but I saw no reason as to why I should let them see my weaknesses.

"What? Afraid of little ol' Malfoy?" I sneered, snatching my books up off the floor.

I marched into the classroom, my head held high- acting arrogant and pompous.

I sat in the front of the classroom, and the teacher raised his eyebrow at me.

I looked back and saw the other students in my year inching into the room, trying to seats as far away from me as possible. Only Goyle slid into the seat beside me without a second thought.

"Wow. Good show earlier. I had no idea you had such evil in you…I guess you are like your dad after all."

I wanted to say I was not evil, but I had no idea. I felt like the life I'd been living was a gigantic lie.

I saw Rose and Albus sit with the other Gryffindors across the room.

Rose saw me, and immediately averted her gaze, giving her full attention to her cousin; but she couldn't help her eyes peeking at me every few minutes.

I pretended not to notice. But I knew everyone was boring their eyes into the back of my head.

The teacher started to speak, and asked what kinds of potions were in front of us.

We all looked at each other.

But Rose and I raised our hands high up into the air.

The teacher seemed angry no one else knew, but then saw two students did know. He saw my hand up and smirked. "Ah yes, Mr. Malfoy. What is this potion that sits in front of you?"

"It's a love potion sir." I said knowledgably. "It has a certain scent for what draws people to it. For example, I smell- roses, freshly mowed grass…the dusty air of a old mansion…" I cut off, and cleared my throat, by coughing. I was talking about home…and Rose herself.

Rose looked me with intense interest as I spoke, but she held her hand up.

"Yes…Ms…"

"Weasley, sir." she said, lowering her hand.

"While the potion in front of Scorpius may be a love potion, the potion in front of me is Polyjuice Potion."

"Yes, very good Ms. Weasley. Now, what does it look like?"

Rose and Albus peered into the cauldron and Rose said, "It's…a tannish liquid I would say- but I can't be completely sure."

"Good, good. Would anyone want to drink this potion?" the professor asked.

A Gryffindor raised his hand and the professor smirked, then got a glass from the cabinet, put some of the potion in it, then handed it over to the Gryffindor.

The Gryffindor drank it, unknowing of its powers. He dropped the glass immediately, and made gagging noises. The boy next to him, struck his back as if doing that would make the potion come back up.

The Slytherins laughed, and I joined in- not wanting to seem the odd one out.

Then, the Gryffindor started to transform, and when he was completely changed, we all broke out into hysterical laughter.

He was an exact replica of the Potions teacher.

"Polyjuice Potion- very advanced to make- takes a very long time- and when putting something- like a hair- into the potion of another- and you drink it- you become that person."

Everyone "oohed" and "ahhed."

I looked over to Rose again, she saw me looking, and narrowed her eyes- as if to say she was disappointed in me.

Walking out of the classroom, Goyle brought over a bunch of other Slytherins.

"Wow Malfoy- you're so smart! You make a great leader…and you're a perfect example of what a Slytherin still should be!"

Somehow…they looked up to me. How easy was it to swerve people's opinions? They suddenly liked me because I was badass and intelligent?

I thought I'd only have Goyle…but now I had a whole gang of followers. We passed Hufflepuffs on the way to Charms, and knocked books out of their hands, shoved them out of our way…whatever I did- they followed in, and it was terribly fun to experiment in.

I knew if I was kind, they'd question my toughness and leave- and I thought that my sudden popularity in my house was great- but I was becoming infamous for everyone else. Even the people who were my true friends.

All the Slytherins were gathered around me in History, and I telling them jokes, and Professor Binns- droned on about his lessons- getting no attention. We didn't even care he was a ghost.

Suddenly the Bloody Baron appeared.

He pointed menacingly to me with his sword.

Binns got the hint. "Malloy- join the Baron. The Headmaster's office if you will."

I got up, and Goyle offered to take my things back to the common room for me.

I nodded, and walked past Rose as I exited.

As soon as I passed Rose's table, I knocked over the notebook on the table behind her.

"Oops." I said sarcastically and continued on.

The Bloody Baron shook his head.

Once out of the classroom, Peeves appeared.

"Little Malfoy- gone the same as his father. Little Malfoy is going to be in trouble!"

The Baron shot Peeves a single look and Peeves disappeared.

What did he mean?

Trouble in what? Now? Or in the long run?

We got into the Headmaster's office, and I entered the room, when the Bloody Baron motioned for me to enter, and then flew through the wall- his task complete.

"Professor? You wanted to see me?"

I asked, pushing the door open, and stepping into the room.

There were portraits of past Headmasters on the wall, and a phoenix in a golden cage was in the corner.

I could not see the Headmaster.

The giant chair behind the desk spun around and it was my father, his fingertips pressed together, and looking very angry.

I spun around and bolted for the door, but it slammed shut, and I looked up, and it was my mother, pulling off the "look- I'm 36 and I'm still super sexy" look, as she held one hand on the door and one on her hip, and her ankles crossed as she stood, glaring down at me.

...

**A/N: I'm sorry, but I truly love this last part of this chapter. It's just like," yes, Draco and Denise are in their late-thirties- but still are super badass. Deal with it =P"**

**I'm going to go really quick with the school years in this one...besides Scoripus drama, and his parents stuff...what is there? I'll get like...50 chapters tops out of this story (like that's a stretch already.) Most likely it'll be 30...or a little above or below.**

**REVIEWWWWWWWWWWW **


	5. Parental Meltdown

"Ah- Mr. Malfoy- how kind of you to join us." The Headmaster appeared from the top of the steps from his little office or whatever.

He slowly came down and asked me, "Do you know why you're here?"

I shrugged.

"You have had a sudden change in behavior in the past day. We called your parents, as you could possibly be homesick or such."

I thought I saw Draco scowl at the Professor, but I blinked, and figured I'd imagined it.

My mum walked over to me and put her hands on my shoulders.

"What's wrong Scorpius? You were fine yesterday."

"You don't get it, do you? Or rather, it's me who doesn't. You've hid everything about you from me! What happened to Uncle Cedric? And why are you some huge symbol of love and hope in the world? And why are people saying that Dad was a Death Eater?" I questioned, and my mother stepped back, her gray eyes wide, obviously shocked.

She exchanged a look with my father, and he stepped closer to her.

"Do not yell at your mother Scorpius." he said calmly.

"Why not? Tell me the truth and I'll listen. People say the way I'm acting will bring back the "old rep. of Slytherin back to truth." I hate that! People run because I'm your son! I have a short temper…Rose and Albus probably hate me…I hate it! My friends are Gryffindors and I'm a Slytherin! I hate it! I hate you! I hate you so much! If you were a Death Eater, then why aren't you dead? Or imprisoned? Are you happy I'm a Slytherin now?"

My father went silent too.

My mother stepped forward and put her hand on his shoulder, as if her touch would make everything better. They shared something, in the air, it was there. It was intense, and important. They could speak without speaking at all. Maybe that's what happened when you've been married half of your lives.

"Now, Scorpius, I understand you're feeling dejected now, but please, the way to act, is to be kind, then maybe your friends will come back…" the headmaster began.

I let out a frustrated breath.

"Why doesn't anyone get it?"

My mum whispered something in my dad's ear, and he looked at her like she was crazy.

But he gave in, when he looked into her eyes. She barely brushed her lips together as she spoke, and my father seemed fixated on them.

"Please. Maybe if he gets it…then he'll do better…and find a better path…he can't go the way you did…after how hard we tried-"

I stopped listening.

My dad sighed, and pulled out his wand, and then there was a broomstick there.

A brand new broomstick- the one that had been in a shop window in Diagon Alley with everyone crowding around it.

"What's…what is this?" I asked, looking at him.

"It was supposed to be a present…but instead this is a warning of a sort. If we get have to speak to you one more time about your behavior- we'll remove you from Hogwarts- and you'll go to Durmstrang- and believe me- you learn much more here."

"Wasn't Dad going to go to Durmstrang though? Until grandmum said that he'd be too far away?" I scrunched up my face in question.

"Yes…No then- you will go for a spot on the Slytherin Quidditch Team and you WILL make it…or else. You better shape up, and by playing a fair Quidditch game- what better comparison is there? Games and life- perfect. Play fair, and you get respect, and you need to do that off the field too." Mum told me.

Yes, my parents didn't officially scream at me, but their forms of punishments were strange…it was as if I was being rewarded for my bad deeds, until I learn there's a twist…and usually a moral.

"You still didn't tell me about your history." I said, remembering my point.

"That's a story for another day." my mother said hurriedly.

"Then tell me just one thing- what happened to Pansy Parkinson?"

My parents stiffened.

My mother turned around, tears welling up her eyes. "What?" she said hoarsely.

"Pansy Parkinson, who was she?"

My father looked at his feet, looking guilty for a minute, then stepped up to the plate and said, "My ex…and your mother's school rival."

"What happened?"

"You really want to know?" my mother stepped closer threateningly, and came up to my face, now sarcasm dripping from her tone.

How could my mother be so changed, into a person I'd never seen- just by mentioning Pansy's name?

"Well, that's why I asked." I shrugged innocently.

My mother straightened up arrogantly, and still held an iron-will gaze on me that made me the slightest bit afraid. It was like I was seeing a darker version of her- an alter-ego.

"She came after Draco in their 3rd year…then in his 4th year, he dumped me for her."

Draco winced. Obviously this was something he preferred not to think about.

"So what happened? After you broke up? Did he show he still wanted you that year?"

My mother laughed manically.

"Denise-" my dad started towards her, coming to wrap his arms around her, but she pushed him away. She had lost it- and it was all my fault.

I turned around, and the Headmaster was gone.

It was only the three of us.

"Definitely, you know- after my brother was murdered- he came through the crowd, and I cried into his shoulder…of course- I still wasn't bloody good enough for him! Only two years later did he come back!"

"M..M…Murdered?" I gasped. "Uncle Cedric was murdered?"

My mother then realized what she'd said and her eyes slid in and out of focus.

She swayed and my father ran and caught her as fell.

She opened her eyes and looked up into my father's face and she smiled warmly, as if everything was fine suddenly, and she reached up and caressed his cheek.

Then she looked over to me and jumped up.

"Oh God. I'm so stupid…I…I haven't had an episode in forever…"

Episode? So her life was dramatic? What'd she do? Cry all the time?

"Mummy…how did your brother die?" I asked quietly.

She looked to me. "I see so much of him in you…you're so much like him and your father…the two most important people I could ever have in my life when I was young…He was murdered by Voldemort. In the Triwizard Tournament."

"Denise- let's go…we've become the vulnerable ones listening to our kid's orders…we have to go home…before he finds anything else out."

"Should I wipe his memory? Of this?"

"No…he'll be fine." the Headmaster reappeared. "He needs to know this- how his uncle died, and he needed a glimpse into your mental instabilities…he needs to start to know what really went on all those years ago- or it'll come back to haunt him."

My mother nodded and breathed in deeply.

"Goodbye Scorpius. See you soon." Mum kissed my forehead and walked quickly out, her hand to her forehead, as if she had a huge migraine.

My dad gave a weak smile, then followed her.

Now what?


	6. A Puzzle Piece

Learning has to be the lamest thing ever. Nothing entertained me in classes. Yea, I was learning how to use spells and crap like that- but days passed and I still thought of what I'd learned from my mother.

When they left, I turned to the Headmaster and asked him what exactly happened to Cedric Diggory, but he winked and ushered me out of the room.

So, like any schoolboy would do, I asked around.

"Cedric Diggory? He was murdered in the Triwizard Tournament by a servant of Voldemort-"

"Scorpius!" James jogged over and pulled me away.

He shot a glare to the Hufflepuffs in their 2nd year that had been telling me the tale.

"What? Why do you pop up at the worst possible moments?" I groaned.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" he hissed, turning to face me, and the staircase started to move, shifting itself.

"I was finding out about my family history, obviously."

"But…but…"

"But what? I have a right to know, don't I?"

"Yes, but-"

"No buts. Now why you pulled me away better be good." I crossed my arms.

He sighed. My parents are going to kill me for telling you this…but…all our parents agreed not to tell you anything- and that if anyone here at Hogwarts were to say anything, we, being Albus, Rose, or me were to intervene…it was better if you heard it from one of us, instead of someone who doesn't know you or your family."

I blinked, all this drama was seriously annoying me.

"Everyone at this school feels sorry for you, or is afraid of you."

"And my friends?"

"Albus and Rose? They were mad at you for last week's episode…but I'm sure they'll come around when you act like the person you were on the train. This," he gestured to me, "isn't you- and I can tell. You're just doing it for friends in your house. Everyone in Slytherin is so afraid of you, they _look up _to you. Hufflepuffs are willing to forget it happened, but they're too kind for their own good. They know who you're related to- maternal wise- and trust there's a part of you that's like that side…Ravenclaws know how you are- and don't care about your episode. It's only a few naïve students in each of the houses that are truly hating you. Gryffindors would forgive you if you apologized, they're big on being noble- trust me, I am one."

"So…the school doesn't hate me?" I asked hopefully.

"Not entirely, no."

"But what did happen to my uncle?"

James sighed again, then spoke. "Cedric was one of the people pulled from the Goblet of Fire for the champions for the Cup, and on the third task-" he went on to explain every piece- even the other two challenges he described.

By the end, I was getting chills.

That was so traumatic…no wonder my parents never brought it up.

"So I guess I should go say sorry to Rose and Albus now, huh?"

"Not necessarily…they're pretty upset. Give it a few days time. See you around Scorp." He pat my back, then walked up the stairs past me.


	7. Hints

Quidditch try-outs went rather well- if I do say so myself.

I became the only 1st year on the Slytherin team. It was great, riding on my new broom. And I ended up with the position of Seeker.

"You didn't tell me you're dad was a Seeker too!" Goyle asked one day, when we looked into the trophy case, and my dad's name was on one of them.

"He was…he practiced with me all the time when we were younger. My mum was Seeker for her house in her final year too. I guess it's hereditary." I played it off as if it meant nothing, but it very interesting.

"Cool!" Goyle clapped, and called other Slytherins over, who also thought the tale was interesting.

"Denise Diggory is your mother?" one girl piped up.

I looked over and saw a very pretty girl- who wore a lot of makeup though, but it looked great on her, and she had sleek, long black hair.

"Yeah. Why?"

"A lot of people look up to her…my parents find it revolting though. My aunt hates her so terribly much- apparently she stole her boyfriend, and she ended marrying him."

"Wait- is your aunt Pansy Parkinson?"

"The one and only." she straightened up proudly.

"My mum didn't steal my dad from anyone! They were together first!"

"Are you so sure about that? Because I know for a fact, that you practically nothing about your parents history. How can you be sure?"

"Because I know my parents!"

"You'd be surprised at how much you don't." she looked at her fingernails.

"What are you implying?" I stepped closer to her.

"Nothing Malfoy…" she looked up, eye to eye with me. "You're really cute, you know that, right?"

I was taken aback for an instant. This girl was quick to say whatever she was thinking. She was attractive, but I didn't like her attitude. I shook my head, and walked away with my gang, leaving her alone. I saw Rose out of the corner of my eye, and she looked hurt- like she couldn't stand a pretty girl was talking to me.

Then she sprinted up the stairs, and away from the scene.

At the first Quidditch match of the season- it was Slytherin vs. Gryffindor.

James was Seeker for his team, and when we still on the grounds, waiting for captains to shake hands, he smirked at me.

"Lucky little Malfoy. Seeker in his first year…your dad didn't get on the team until his 2nd year…and he even sorta bought the team too…well, his dad did anyway. My dad is like you for this situation though. I got on the team for the first time last year."

"May the best Seeker win." I smirked, and then the whistle blew, so we went up into the air.

"Scorpius!" my gang cheered.

"James!" Gryffindors cheered him on.

"Yeah, go James!" I heard Albus say.

"Scorpius! Go Scorpius!…I…um…Go, James!" I heard Rose faintly.

She was cheering for me.

I had a surge of strength, and went up above the whole game, and scanned for a glimpse of gold. I saw it whiz by the Keeper for Gryffindor, and I dove after it. James saw it too, though, at that same moment, and he was closer, I was definite he'd win.

I then, instinctively, leaned in more, and sped past him. He passed me again though, and so I stood up, and reached out for the snitch, balancing on my broomstick.

I could barely touch it, but I reached, and I got it in my hand. Then, I flipped over when my broom hit the ground.

I just got up and showed off the snitch in my hand.

James got to the ground, and seemed to relax when he saw I was okay. What? Did he swear to look out for me too?

"Malfoy has got the snitch! Slytherin wins!" the announcer said.

And of course, the Slytherins pretty much threw a party because we'd won. Gryffindor almost always won- and they were convinced they had real talent in the palms of their hands.

I was sure that my parents would be proud of me for this one, and the next morning, at breakfast, my owl entered with all the others for once, and dropped a letter in my lap.

I ripped it open and read it. It was from my parents…and they were so proud of me- to hear that I'd made the team and was Seeker and to top it all off- won the game for Slytherin.

I then realized what my dad had said once. Harry and him were Seekers at the same time…James and I were Seekers…I hoped our…friendship, if you could call it that, would not be ruined. I was still mostly hoping my friendship with Rose and Albus wasn't ruined. But I was sure Rose was still my friend, after all the subtle hints here and there. But I'd have to be the man and apologize…she was probably too nervous. Albus, I was unsure about- but soon enough we'd have to confront each other, right?

...

**A/N: This may or may not be my last chapter for a while, as I'm going on v.k tomorrow and won't be back for a month...and I only have internet acess at certain times...But I'll be writing the story, I just won't be able to upload it. Hope you all understand- and if you really want me to go through all the trouble of uploading while I'm away- can I have a few more reviews? ...There's no much to review in this story yet...but you can go back to the other one, and write reviews on each chapter in that one...I liked when people did that. I had like 30 reviews at one time when they did that- and what they liked abou each chapter specifically made me happy. :) Till then!**


	8. Funny Facts

**A/N: I'm back! I just wanted to upload this short chapter because I've deprived you of Scorpius, Draco, and Denise long enough. ;) But next Tuesday, I start high school, and I'm worried I won't have freetime anymore to upload my stories :( I have like...8 stories forming in my mind, but I don't want to start them until I finish this one...whoch will take about 2-3 months. So tell me, will I have freetime still with honors classes and sports going on? **

**REVIEWWWWWWWWW.**

**p.s- next chapter will be in Denise's POV...going to leave Scorpius alone for a little bit. ;D**

**...**

As the days, weeks, months wore on, I came to a state of acceptance, despite my restlessness. The whole house of Slytherin respected me greatly, since thanks to me, I was winning practically every game for the Slytherin Quidditch Team. Of course, I was still too afraid to talk to Albus or Rose, but James was much more…easy to talk to. Besides all the people in my house who hung around me for my popularity or out of fear that they'd get on my bad side, James was there- becoming the friend I never expected to have; as from our first meeting, it seemed Rose, Albus, and I would be the new Golden Trio, but _that _all changed in the blink of an eye.

I was like my father…no…I was him. I had a gang, practically bought people's attention, and to a certain degree- was a bully.

Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs despised me, Gryffindors wouldn't even glance my way, with the exception of James.

One day, on a crisp late November morning, I was walking to Potions with Goyle, the rest of my gang trailing behind me- which included Pansy's niece, Patricia. She was crushing on me so hard, it was a miracle I didn't shatter into pieces from her intensity.

I carefully avoided her though, as I didn't trust her. She claimed my mother was the boyfriend stealer. It was contrasting with what little my mother had told me- as when she'd had her meltdown back in September, the thing she had clearly stated was Pansy had stolen my father for a time. I took in my parents words like the gospel- I believed and trusted them with every fiber of my being. But now, how could I be so sure?

My parents, as I had come to realize, seemed to only given me the least dramatic, least important details of their lives at Hogwarts. As Patricia pointed out, how could I be so sure my parents were right? After all, everyone else in the school seemed to know more about my life and family then me. No one wanted to tell me anything though.

I asked James for information, but he refused. He had been carefully instructed not to tell me anything unless something drastic happened. Even Patricia wouldn't say a word, not unless I went out with her. I always shuddered when I thought of her little "proposal." It wasn't like her facts would even be the real story.

So that one November day, when James said that he'd seen my parents in Hogsmeade, I freaked out.

Why, when they were so close, had they not visited? And why, had they not mentioned anything about it in one of their letters?

"I wonder why both of them went, I bet only one of them could've gone." James pondered as we walked on.

"Easy. My father won't let my mum go anywhere alone, and vice versa."

"You'd think, after all these years, they'd realize Voldemort won't come back to finish Draco off…or that the Death Eaters won't break out of Azkaban and seek revenge on the Malfoy family." James shook his head.

"What?" I practically shouted, my gray eyes bulging out of my head, and I stopped dead in my tracks- causing my gang to stop too. Goyle crashed into me from behind, and the others, like a collapse of dominoes, falling onto the next one- until the last fell. I almost fell, but only moved an inch forward from the force, and I managed to hold my worried gaze on James.

"Nothing." he quickly saw through his fatal mistake, and tried to dismiss it, but I heard nothing of the sort.

"Tell me. Now. Why would Voldemort want to kill my father? How did my father get away the last time? Why would Death Eaters seek revenge?"

"Well, um…it's very…um…complicated…" James nervously took a step back, and I in response, took a step towards him.

He nervously tugged on the collar of his shirt, and wet his lips. "Some other time then. See you, Scorp!" and he took off, leaving me in even greater question then before.


	9. Denise Diggory Returns

Denise's POV

You could stay up all night, lying awake in bed, and still not picture all the ways to lose your loved ones.

Anyone with a heart would agree and relate; but no one, no one, can imagine as many of those said loved ones as I can. Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, George, Cho, Luna, Neville, my parents…and the ones most vital- Draco and Scorpius. My husband and only son.

Scorpius. When I first had Scorpius, I was turned up high on newborn mother mode. Would he bang into a wall and hurt himself? What if he grabbed a sharp object? Would he cry a lot? What if he got sick? What if Draco and I weren't good enough parents? After all, it was the one and only child we had. We could mess up, and not know how to fix it- because it was our one shot, only chance. You couldn't experiment with human life.

I understand now, how my parents felt about me…how losing Cedric intensified that paranoia. I truly understand now- how Draco's parents felt, not vaguely throughout his life, but at the Battle of Hogwarts- when _everything, _every word, step, and breath- was wondering, hoping, begging, that Draco would be okay. I said at 16, I understood why his parents had almost ripped him away from me forever, they wanted him to live, and run with them- because as a family- the trio had always stuck together.

Now, actually being a parent, I actually can **be** in that situation. I can imagine losing my eldest son, and left with a single 14 year old girl- one who would **need **her parents, but had to lean on herself…because her parents were almost out of her life completely already. I can imagine my only son having to do such a tragic act, that it would destroy him, that it was out of my control- and it was like waiting for the knife, waiting for him to die.

You know how children expect that their parents are invincible? That they are too? Parents try to make it so- but life just doesn't work out that way.

Kids…when they see their parents cry or hurt…the world shatters around them- because they realize all they knew, believed in, was only just a lie.

Parents will do anything for their children. Even lie. Take it from me.

My parents tried, and they were good parents, with good enough intentions, who raised their young well. They loved Cedric and me equally, but sometimes, growing up, it sure didn't feel that way. It seemed like their son, the first-born, came first. Always.

And when I did something, exceeding expectations, it seemed still, a poor second best. _Always_ to Cedric. But he didn't let that ruin our relationship…When you have a sibling, and they die…do you say you have a sibling, or say you're an only child? When you lose a child, do you still say you have two, or say you have one?

I was three the first time it happened, at least that I can recall. I had just drawn a picture of our family and our house, but as I went inside to show everyone, I got locked out. Cedric had just shown his first sign at being a wizard, and I waited outside for seemingly hours, but it was probably 10 minutes- but what did it matter? I was forgotten. Like a dying flower. Yes, my drawing was not impressive, but it meant the world to me- and Cedric- in anyone's mind would rightfully beat me in that moment- but it happened too often…and that was only the first time. When I showed signs of being a witch, Cedric got his acceptance letter to Hogwarts. And no one noticed me. So, one day, I ran away. My parents didn't notice. You know who did? Cedric. I was 7, and he was 11- back on Easter holiday from Hogwarts- and of course, our parents fawned over him. Even when he was away, I was invisible.

"You're invisible." I told myself as I walked around on the little playground two blocks from our house. It was deserted, and it was breezy, and I had no coat. I had brought some every-flavor beans in my pocket, but when they were done, I would starve. "You're nothing compared to your brother. A worthless second-best." I sat at the top of a slide, and started to cry, and the sky became overcast.

"'Nise!" I thought I heard, but I looked around, and through the torrential downpour, saw no one. I was dry, under the cover of the slight "roof" on top of the slide.

"'Nise, where are you?" I heard an exclamation.

I did not answer, it was probably a figment of my imagination.

"'NISE! DENISE!" I heard, and then footsteps echoed on the stairs, and Cedric looked around him, and saw me.

"'Nise." he breathed, and ran over. "Let's go home." he suggested.

My eyes widened and I stuffed the jelly beans back in my pocket and slid down the slide, and once at the bottom, I fell off, and banged my knee on something. I heard Cedric slide down too, and he ran over to me, who was holding her right knee to her chest, sobbing, and was getting soaked in the rain. It had been said on the muggle news there was a hurricane coming, and not to go outside, but what did I know about storms?

"Up we go." he said, picking me up, knowing I would not walk. I wanted to fight him, but he said it would be alright, he was there, and I believed him.

When we got home, my parents hadn't noticed I had gone- but they noticed Cedric left. We were both soaked, but Cedric told them it was us playing in the yard, not that I'd attempted to run away to the end of the earth. He wanted to tell them the truth, but I told him not to…

Cedric, the might young wizard. Good thin he was a wizard, because I wonder what would've happened if he had been a squib…he'd probably still be alive…with his wife, mostly likely Cho, and the nieces and nephews I never got to have.

Sure, I was Hugo's godmother- for Hermione and Ron, and the godmother of Lily for Harry and Ginny- but it wasn't the same…was it ever? Hermione and Ron were godparents for James and Albus, and Ginny and Harry for Rose and Scorpius.

I remember worrying it'd be too much to handle for them. They had three kids already- two of them boys, they had two god kids- Teddy and Rose…But Hermione and Ron had two children, one of each gender.

I remember when Rose was born, Scorpius, only about six weeks old, actually eagerly tried to get to Rose in Hermione's arms.

We laughed as Scorpius struggled in my arms, trying to lean out, his puny hands grasping at Rose. Ron smiled at his daughter, the most priceless thing he'd ever seen. I knew the feeling, especially when Draco came closer and put a hand on my upper back, and he laughed too, touching the faint fuzz that was barely there on Scorpius' head…white-blond fuzz.

Just the gesture made me warm and happy, not to mention grateful. Draco loved me, and me only, and after 6 years of marriage plus the eight we had before that. I was 24, he 25. I knew, like how mother's do, Scorpius would be just like his father, in looks at least.

And Draco loved Scorpius just as much as he loved me. You know how when you read a story and in the story, after the couple have the child, the child is the one each of the parents suddenly seem to love more than each other.

When I was younger, I read books like my life depended on it, but I'd always prayed my life wouldn't be one of those stories. And after I met, and started dating Draco- of course I forgot about those tales for a while; I was writing my own story. But in my 6th year, when I was camping with Dean and Griphook, I'd remember those stories on my watches, and remember the promises to myself.

And I hoped Draco and I would never fall out of love. Thank god we never did.

Just so you know, I love Scorpius and Draco as much as my heart can withstand- they were two people I'd save if I could only save myself and two others from some terrible fate. Myself, my son, and husband. In a heartbeat. Even if it meant leaving everyone else I loved behind.

...

**A/N: Who else has their heart break just a little bit when you see something terrible happen to Denise? Turns out her childhood wasn't so easy huh?**


	10. Behind Those Crystal Eyes

"Look at this. Someone's eager to make a friend." I laughed while Scorpius still tried to get to Rose.

"Maybe they'll be more than that." Hermione hinted.

"Not while I'm around." both Ron and Draco sounded.

"Oh , stop it." we chided our husbands. "Let them be."

While Hermione and I chatted wedding details, our husbands stood, as if ready to take their respective baby, and run, making sure their child never came in contact with the other child again.

Suddenly, Scorpius made a sort of gurgle and Rose's heavy lids shot up, and her eyes scanned the room- and she stopped on Scorpius. She paid no attention to her mother or father, she just looked at my son, like he was the only thing worth seeing.

When Draco and I had to go home, we said our goodbyes, and when I leaned in to kiss Hermione's cheek, Scorpius' pudgy hand touched Rose's and the peaceful look that overcame both of their faces was breathtaking and beautiful.

But, too soon, I drew back, and Rose began to cry- and my son followed suit.

Us new parents shared a look, then we left hurriedly, but not quick enough, as Scorpius; wails began.

Draco looked irritable and tired by the time we back to the Manor, as was I. We weren't to Apparate home with a baby, so we went home the Muggle way- in cars.

Scorpius finally calmed seeing the fancy property and we sighed.

I thought Scorpius and Rose were adorable, and how great would it be if I could actually be "related" to my best friends? If Scorpius someday married Rose, Ron and Hermione would be in-laws, meaning Ginny, Ron's sister, would be related too, along with her famous husband, and one of my best friends- Harry Potter. I was suddenly falling for a fantasy- at least I thought so, just like how I thought it was a fantasy when I first saw Draco, and look where that took us. Maybe it wasn't so far-fetched after all.

I sighed again, as I put Scorpius in his crib and like every other night, I put a charm on the room- so if he somehow managed to get out of his crib or something, he wouldn't get hurt, and he couldn't get out of the room either.

I smiled and tucked my wand away and stayed a few minutes so I could watch him fall asleep.

For all those poor, unfortunate souls out there who say children are a curse, and that they are more trouble than they're worth, that they take up all your free time- meaning no time for friends, or work, or even your spouse, as I said before, Draco and I never drifted luckily. Some say it's bad because of loss of sex drive, some because you sacrifice so much- maybe even your weight, some because they just hate the aspects of children.

But I can't begin to tell you how wrong they are, what they are missing. I can tell you though, how magical children are, how they change your perspective to something better, how your maturity increases…how perfect children are…muggle or wizard- it's the same for both of us.


	11. PMS or maybe something else?

Scorpius yawned and I walked out of the room, and down the corridor into the master bedroom.

"Hey." Draco said from the bed. I smoothed my nightgown and crawled into bed beside him.

His arms enveloped me and then I'm in the present again, and he whispers huskily in my ear.

I looked to the nightstand, and like I knew I would, I don't see a baby monitor. When you visit the past, in the present, you find you want to see things that have been gone for years.

"Draco." I murmured, closing my eyes, and I hold his hands that are wrapped around my torso, holding him close, loving how every night he holds me like this.

"C'mon." he urges.

"Draco." I say again, but I pull away and he pulls his arms back.

"'Nise, is this about this PTSD thing?" he sighs.

"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." I say. "And yes, it is. It doesn't feel right to have…fun…" I searched for the right words. "When I feel like this."

"'Nise, yesterday we were fine. We went to Hogsmeade and just hung around all day- going to all the old haunts we used to visit frequently as kids." Then more to himself, "Madame Rosmerta wasn't too pleased to see me though when we got to the Three Broomsticks…I get why, because of the whole mess in my 6th year…" he spoke to me again. "But she seemed happy to see you. You were perfectly fine then…" and muttering to himself he said, " She seemed a bit upset you married me though, ugh."

We'd gone to just…go. Reminisce about the good ol' days. We'd gone to every place in that village, memories flooding back. One in particular, where I threw my bracelet at him was not particularly happy. I unconsciously fingered my bracelet.

"Maybe we should visit Scorp. We're so close." I had said as only a worried mother could. I saw Hogwarts students- it was a Hogsmeade day.

"He'll be fine. He's safe. You can relax, love."

I turned to Draco, back in our bed. "If the future can be reshaped at any time, why can't we reshape others? Only ourselves? It's not good enough." I then sat up.

When you love something, you'll do anything to keep them with you.

"'Nise, you've reshaped my fate endlessly. It's untrue what you just said." He sat up too and inched closer, my back still to him, and I focused my gaze on the wall, afraid to look at him, my mouth trembling.

He was wrong. I didn't save him. He saved me. More times then even thought possible. From myself, bullies- including Pansy and that Quidditch captain Flint, from his parents, aunt…Voldemort himself…from death.

When I tried to picture me as the savior, my mind drew a blank, I had no idea what he was talking about.

"In fact, after all these years- I still don't understand why you chose me." He said in my ear, his arms were wrapped around me, and his head on my shoulder.

"You don't love someone because they're perfect. You love them in spite of the fact that they're not." I shook my head and turned to him. "P.S, you saved me." I put my hand up to his cheek and paused. Then I leaned in across the covers and gently brushed my lips against his. "You're saving me now."

"I won't let a silly paranoia from…from the result of trauma take away the Denise I know and love. Earlier, when we found out you had that…your face…it was so…sad. I wanted to turn back time to take away any tragedy from your life…even if it meant removing myself from your life as well." he then kissed my forehead. "That's what love is."

That morning, at St. Mungo's- finding out I had PTSD, was like a bomb exploding. It made sense, but at the same time, didn't.

My huge meltdown at Hogwarts in September scared me. That wasn't me. I never fainted- why did I then? It frightened me beyond comprehension, so much that I begged Draco to find someone to figure out what had gone wrong with me.

We found a date to go, and Harry just let me leave work. I tried to explain, he waved me off- saying it was fine…and then if we were still on for dinner with the rest of our friends at the Burrow on Saturday.

The doctor ruled, when my son had brought up Pansy, all my anger switched gears s fast- to a different kind of anger and fright, that all that stress, and being caught off guard with the unexpectedness of Scorpius' actions caused my meltdown. My meltdown was caused by, if you were to put a label on it, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, because the terrible things in my life I'd buried with the hatchet years ago had come back to haunt me, slapping me in the face.

While it made sense in that way, and explained my excessive paranoia, and I'd gone through some really traumatic things, it didn't make sense for anything else.

Why me? Not Draco, or Ginny, or Hermione, or Ron, or Harry?

Their travesties must've been much worse then mine. But speaking to them about it, they all said _I_ was worse off in Hogwarts, with the exception of Harry. His grief seemed to be equal to mine- but I thought his was more. **That's** why we'd kissed that one time, because we both were on the same page when it came to hurt and loss at that time. We understood each other when no one else did, so why did he come through, escaping without this disorder?

I left the whirlwind that was my brain, and laid down, turning off the lamplights and wrapping my arms around Draco securely.

Every night, he wrapped his arms around me and watched me sleep, and I loved the way his breath felt on my neck, and the warmth he gave off since he was so near.

But that night, it was switched. He fell asleep first, and I held him protectively, watching him sleep. He looked so peaceful and innocent in sleep; As if he didn't have the evil reminder of what he had been on his left arm.

I remembered suddenly what Harry had once said to Cho, "If Voldemort really wants to kill you, you don't stand a chance." I'd thought of that frequently in my 6th year at Hogwarts- worrying for Draco…and my friends- obviously. Especially when Voldemort said he'd kill Draco to become the true elder wand master. When I'd been fighting the clock, and the crowd- that's the sentence that pounded in my head.

And I know I can hold Draco in this moment, but Scorpius- at school- I can't. But I want to, need to hug him to me and never let go. I'd do anything for my husband and son. _**Anything**_. I may just be paranoid, but I feel something terrible…destructive…is on the horizon…I just wish I knew what.

...

**A/N: Next chapter will be back in Scorpius' pov, don't worry. How did you like the little switch to Denise for a bit? Love it, hate it? Yeah...I made the Denise 3-chapter thing mostly for this chapter...I felt it was way too OOC for her to have that meltdown...so I made this up ;)**

**Now...can I have 5 reviews before I upload the next chapter? Don't make me start with the HAVE TO have this many reviews before next chapter.**


	12. Circumstances

Scorpius' POV

What was there left to do but go home? No one would tell me anything, and it wasn't like I'd be staying for the holidays- I just wanted to go back to the Manor.

The moment I stepped onto Platform 9 ¾ , my mother grabbed me and held me tight to her.

"Mom- I'm okay," I laughed, but got focused. "But seriously, let me go."

My mother stood up straight and got her bearings, but I couldn't help but feel that what I'd said was wrong somehow.

"I'll never let go." I thought I heard her say.

"What?" I asked, picking up my suitcases.

"Hm?" she turned her head to me. "Nothing, oh nothing." she said, realizing my question.

My mother seemed _**too**_ happy to see me. My blood ran cold; was something going on with my parents? Were they fighting?

But in the car, driving home to the mansion, they were talking animatedly to each other.

Well, their marriage was safe, but what could have made my mother act this way?

What James had said last month rang in my head. Was someone after my parents? Or more specifically, just one of them…like my father.

Apparenty, my dad was a Death Eater…I wondered how he'd escpaed prison…maybe the other Death Eaters wanted revenge because he'd evaded Azkaban.

A puzzle piece fell into place, but I still didn't have the whole picture.

My mother, I noticed over the next few days, was very…protective all of a sudden.

She hovered over dad, as if he could only be safe, protected, if she she was there to protect him herself…or she just wanted to know he was okay. She did the same for me- making sure I was fine. At first I thought it was the return of parental instincts after months without them- but she filled me in on how those instincts and feelings never go away.

Then, I thought about how Dad and I were the most important people in her life, and knew she was just doing her best to keep those people safe from harm.

On Christmas Eve, I watched my mother get readt for a party she was going to later that night.

"This dress or this dress, Scorp?" she held a dress in each hand. One was black, and sparkly with a tee-shirt kind of sleeve style…but a bit tighter- if you can understand what I'm trying to say. (I'm a guy, I'm not a fashion god.) And the other was Gryffindor-worthy red, with straps and a loose bottom- it spread out- and when spinning, flowed out even more- unlike the tight, form-fitting black.

You may wonder why I helped my mother pick dresses as I was a young boy, but truth is, I'd done it as long as I can remember; I liked to think of it as precious time together when dad wasn't around.

"Red, definitely." I said pointing to the dress in her right hand.

"And why is that?" she asked, turning around to face the glass mirror closet, switching the dresses in front of her- holding up one and then holding up the other to her body. She eyed the black with a face of disdain now.

She always asked that so I could learn how to formulate an opinion when I was little, now it was so she could get an inlook on my thoughts for one second- before I put back up the walls teenagers and preteens do with their parents.

"It's the holidays. The black is like…for a funeral." Even though it was nowhere _near_ modest enough for a funeral. "But red…it's Christmas. You know, red and green; festve, fun…plus- you're a Gryffindor alumni- you should wear it."

I was a girl at times, I'm aware.

"Scorp- you remind me of me sometimes…you look like your father- but you're me inside."

She was never so wrong in judgement.

Then we moved onto picking shoes.

Later, I was sitting with Dad in the living room off to one side of the great entrance hall.

My mother came through the adjacent room of the dining area, and my father looked up.

"Gorgeous, beautiful- as always. Need I say more?" he smiled, checking her out.

"Draco," she blushed. Then she saw me. She cleared her throat and began to say hat she'd come in here to say.

"I'll be at Ron and Hermione's house tonight. If you need anything, and can't reach me-"

"Contact Ron, or Hermione, or Harry, or Ginny, or Neville, or Luna…we know." My father rattled off and then smiled up at her.

Hermione and Ron…that meant…

"I'll say hi to Rose, James, and Albus for you, Scorpius." My mother kissed my forehead after pushing my sloppy white-blond hair out of the way.

"I'llbe back soon enough." She smiled to my father. She leaned in and kissed him, her locket clanging against his wine glass. I looked away.

I had a high tolerance for my parents- but every child has their limits. Gag. Vomit. Every child should be uncomfortable when parents are being romantic.

Then she left. She didn't bring Dad or me to the Christmas Eve parties because it was a possibility tthat some sort of conflict may arise if my father joined her- because why should he go to the homes of his school rivals? A place, he was not welcome? I didn't go because I was too young or something…but mostly because I'd rather stay home.

No one said my father couldn't go, but he'd thought it be safer if he didn't.

A few years ago, my mother tried to get him to go to no avail.

"Come _**on**_ Draco, have a little fun, who knows- you could end up friends-" she had just finished putting on her old mood-changing earrings and was tugging on my father's arm, smiling, urging him.

"I said, NO DENISE!" he yanked his arm free, and my mother stumbled backwards as if she'd just been slapped.

He never yelled. Especially not at her.

"Alright…I'll jut go…and wish Scorpius a good night…then…then I'll be on my way." She straightened up as only a dignified Malfoy could, and carried herself well as she walked to the stairs, even though she still nervously fumbled with her bracelet.

I, who was watching from the main staircase, looking through the railing through the doorway into the room, gasped, and ran up the steps, down the hall, into my bedroom, and jumped under the covers of my bed.

Seconds later it seemed, she came into the darkened room, and her heels clacked n the floor. She stopped in the doorway, the light behind her illuminating her silhouette. I hoped to God she thought I was sleeping- even though my eyes were wide open, and I was breathing hard. But I tried to quiet myself, and my face was not in the light.

She came closer and I shut my eyes fiercely. She sat on the edge of the bed, the side my back was to, and toyed with my hair. No doubt she was thinking of her husband's hair…and how I was the spitting image of him.

"My little Scorpius." She whispered. "Daddy and I love you so, so much, please know that. No matter what happens, you come first. Sweet dreams." She sighed longingly, as if she could take a nice long nap right about then…dreams were escapes from reality. I wondered about divorce for a split second, but ruled it out. My parents had to be okay. "When you're six, everything is innocent and pure." I could almost see the tears forming in her eyes. "But it doesn't stay that way forever." Her voice cracked. She leaned in and kissed my head. "Goodnight sweetie. I'll be home soon." And when I shot up in my bed, she was gone.

...

**A/N: Hey guys. I'm really disapointed in you all. Not a SINGLE review. If I get no reviews on this chapter, let's just say it'll be a very long time before you get another one. I'm starting high school tomorrow, and I might not be able to update for a while anyway- but I'll still be checking my email to see if I have any review. *narrows eyes* You can't escape me this time! I know I have readers who never review- but cmon- if you really liked my story- the least you could do is one little review each chapter. Well, until you actually REVIEW! Bye! **


	13. Draco Malfoy's True Tale

But my parents were in love. That much was true.

My mother by then had left and it was my father and me in the giant mansion now.

"Scorpius…we know you're curious about the past, but let it be…time will tell." My father murmured, ever-so-softly and suddenly.

"Dad…there's this girl- Patricia." I had to get some advice- and maybe I'd learn something about his past with Pansy.

"Oh?" he looked at me. He wasn't expecting his eleven year old son to have relationship problems.

"Yeah." I twiddled my thumbs nervously, looking down at my lap. "She's pretty…in Slytherin…smart-"

"Well go for her then." He interrupted, chuckling. I couldn't tell him the truth…about who I really liked.

"But I'm not interested." I finished. "She likes me…and she's sort of…Pansy Parkinson's niece." Here I paused, and I picked m eyes off my hands in my lap and up to my father, but I didn't move my head an inch.

"I see." He said, digesting it. He gripped his wine glass tightly for a minute, as if the subject of Pansy brought him to smashing glasses. Then he put the glass on the coffee table and put his hands on his knees, straightening up as he did so, so I knew he was about to say something important. "Scorpius, I can tell you like someone else." He smiled weakly, but it came out looking a little like a grimace.

"Scorpius Hyperion Cedric Malfoy, you listen to me closely. I've never told anyone else this- not Goyle…or Crabbe…not even your mother."

Uh-oh, it had to be bad if he didn't even tell Mum…and Crabbe? Who was that? His other best friend?

"I've done many, shameful, terrible things in my past. But your mother and I have never told you because we were trying to protect you- take you away from the evil past other Malfoy's had had. I wanted you to grow up better than I had- and also blissfully unaware of the terrible things I'd done…I think I might've done it because I was selfish, because I was depriving you of important knowledge… Many of those things I'm not proud of- some things I never wanted to do in the first place!"

"Does it have to do with being a Death Eater?" I asked quietly, looking down at my knees once more.

He looked taken aback for a moment, then hesitated, and finally nodded.

"People talk at school, Father. You, of all people, should know that." I looked up at him, accusations burning in my eyes.

"May I ask what you already know, before I continue?"

"All about Uncle Cedric's death, the Triwizard Tournament, that you're a Death Eater…was," I corrected myself, but I still flickered my gaze to his left arm for a moment. "You cheated on Mum with Parkinson in your 4th year…and less important things- trivial really- like how you treated people….especially Albus' and Rose's parents- Mum's best friends." My eyes blazed with fire now.

"Now stop right there!" he boomed and I got quiet. He sighed and started again. "You _do_ have your mother's brains. Smarter than Granger she was back in school- only she was a year below us…and Pansy used that small age difference as an asset…and that's where my story comes into place.

I perked up and listened intently. Excellent, I was finally getting somewhere.

"I had my classes with her-Pansy- as well as Potter, Weasley, and Granger. Your mother I saw in every moment of my freetime. I was in love at 13, and by 14, I thought we were invincible….that nothing would come between us…nothing would tear us apart- hurt us….but it was one of the devastating years at Hogwarts for us." He stopped for a moment, he was never one to talk about his life and feelings openly. Only my mother could ever get him to divulge his deepest secrets to her…unless it was something my father didn't want her to know –if he thought he was protecting her.

"One day, after History of Magic, Pansy came up to my table- which I shared with Crabbe and Goyle. And it went downhill from there."

And suddenly- it was like I was there myself, by the way Father was talking about it.

….. [DM]…..

"Hello Draco." Pansy said.

"Pansy." I acknowledged, smiling at her. She asked to speak to me alone, and I foolishly winked at my friends and went off with her. It wasn't like I had to walk Denise to her next class when she was having a double period.

….. [SM]…..

"Father, I'm not going to judge you differently, everyone's a fool at 14, right?" I tried to laugh off all the weight of tension in the room when my father paused.

He made a pitiful attempt to laugh too. "Not everyone." He said quietly, probably meaning Mum or Rose's mm or Albus' dad…

….. [DM]…..

And then, Pansy turned to me, books in her arms, her hair now shoulder length, and I thought how pretty she was. Immediately, I pulled the thought out of my head…but Pansy didn't help. She brought up the subject of the Yule Ball.

"McGonagall was talking about the Ball the other day, are you going?" her eyes shone with hope and admiration as she looked at me. And I in reply answered, "Yes, I'm staying for Christmas break because of the ball. I'm going to ask Denise- and she'll she yes, of course, and we'll look better then whoever Potter's rounding up to be his date. 'Nise tells me he can't get a date!" I laughed cruelly, and Pansy automatically joined in.

"She told me she'd have offered if she wasn't with me. Good thing too- can you imagine Potter, with his hands on _my_ girl?" I shuddered.

.…. [SM]…..

"Father- you're not arch-rivals with him anymore- it's okay. I understand how stupid you were." I smirked the signature Malfoy smirk.

"Only because he saved my life twice in one day." He muttered, ignoring my punchline.

My eyes bulged, but I did not press him for details yet.

"Anyway, I kept talking to her…"

….. [DM]…..

"Neither can Weasley…Granger won't go with either of them- stupid mudblood, doesn't get **no one** wants her. And Longbottom's going with Potter's little girlfriend." I rolled my eyes. "She's the only one desperate enough in the 3rd year or below that's go with Longbottom to the ball. But Dee doesn't have to worry about **that**- because she's my girl- and I'll take her, gladly, it's expected of us anyway- we're dating." I straightened up, proud, and that's when Pansy's laughter subsided, and the joy faded from her eyes. Her expression became dark and stone-cold.

"You won't be going with _Diggory_, not if you know what's good for her."

"Why not? She's my **girlfriend.** Who are you to tell me who to go with?" I switched gears just as fast as she had.

"Because if you _don't_ go with me, I'll make sure she's in the hospital wing for the rest of the year…or better…St. Mungo's." she smiled evilly.

"You wouldn't dare hurt her." I gritted my teeth, calling her out on her bluff.

"You know I would. I mean- do I look like a pathetic Hufflepuff? A wannabe Gryffindor? Or an annoying Ravenclaw? No, because I'm a Slytherin. And Slytherins will do anything to get what they aim for…even if it means hurting a few people to get it." She smirked, and that's how I knew she'd actually do it. She was no bluffer. And thing is, I saw no other options.

…. [SM]….

"Why didn't you go to a teacher? Or Uncle Cedric? Or Harry…somebody!" I asked.

"I wasn't about to go to a professor with silly trivial things such as dates and escorts to the Yule Ball-"

"But Mummy was threatened!"

"I wanted to be the one to protect her, you do understand that right?** I** wanted to do it alone, instead of her brother, or her best friends, or a teacher. I didn't go to Dumbledore because I hated him at the time…" He trailed of and gulped. Obviously there was a deeper part in his life story that involved Dumbledore.

"After I made those badges supporting her brother and mocking Potter, Cedric came up to me one day- and asked to speak in private about Denise. He told me how paranoid she was that something bad would happen…not in general- not just with Cedric, but me too. Something involving the both of us would happen and hurt the person we had a common interest in- Denise. And he made me swear to protect her, no matter what- especially if someday he wasn't able to. And the night he died, I said to myself I'd honor that promise when I held your mother up, who was sobbing- her heart had broken even more then I could have possibly inflicted on her if I were in Cedric's place." Here, he smiled a bit, but it was a sad smile.

"Your mother told me otherwise. She would have been weeping even more if it was me who had died that night. Of course, she heard my vow to protect her- but she must've thought she heard something else…That vow I made…I had to honor it for the Yule Ball ordeal too…your mother's paranoia has been right one too many times, Scorpius." He sighed longingly, as if thinking f something I didn't know of. "So I went with Pansy, but I had to do something subtle, something to give Denise a hint- so she wouldn't feel totally betrayed. I was so heartbroken, I was being forced away from her for her own safety, and she didn't know that was what was happening…I pushed her away myself for my own selfish reasons in my 6th year…_everything I did…was to protect __**her**_." He seemed to be quoting himself from something else…but I didn't know who he had said that to in his 6th year. His eyes were closed in remembrance, and after a stretching moment of silence, he opened them and continued with the original story.

"So, for her yearly charm bracelet addition- I got a teardrop. I think she felt it was me breaking up with her later on, but it was a subtle clue to how much I loved her, and would miss her…a clue to what Pansy had done. I only stayed a half hour at our gift exchange because Pansy didn't want me to be alone with your mother for long periods of time…I didn't even open the gift she gave me until my 7th year at Hogwarts_. For over three years_- it sat untouched under my bed in my bedroom in this very house." He gritted his teeth at teeth, as if he were ashamed, and I knew something bad had been going on in his 7th year- the final year of Voldemort's reign…but I couldn't see what my father had to do with it…I didn't want to point out in my mind that my father was working for him.

Then something clicked. My father became a Death Eater in his 6th year- he did bad things, but did not tell my mother anything- in order to protect her- because if she knew- if she got closer to him- and if Voldemort, or Great-Aunt Bellatrix or someone found out their connection- she'd be hurt as well…I wondered how my father became a Death Eater, and I knew it wasn't because he wanted to volunteer…it must've been a punishment…but for what? And who? His parents? Had his parents angered Voldemort, causing my father to be roped into his game, did Voldemort want to have my father do something that would end up having him killed? So the Death Eaters wouldn't have to do the dirty work? I knew, from my guesses, that if it was my grandparents' fault my father was in it, my father was supposed to die- and my father knew- if my mother got roped in- she'd die…because Voldemort would punish his parents by hurting my dad…and punish my father by hurting my mum…I made perfect sense…even if it was the wildest guess I'd ever had. Sure, there were small gaps and holes- but time would surely fill them.

"After my dad was put in Azkaban, and I was made a servant of the Dark Lord, it was exactly what I needed. It was almost as if Denise was beside me, talking to me about her day…she was the only thing that kept me going." My father became increasingly sad, and I got quiet, thinking of the story, of how I was right in my suspicions, and knowing t had barely even began.

**...**

**A/N: So good twist? In Denise's story, you think Draco actually left her because he liked Pansy- but you find out it was not that way...it was well...what Draco described it as...so what do you like more? Denise, Draco, or Scorpius' POV's? REVIEW! I'm utterly serious. I want one review per chapter now...because none of you are reviewing. I'm starting to get the idea no one is reading this anymore. I'm reall tempted to take this down because if no one is reading it- why keep writing? So if you like this story and want me to continue- can I get ne review from you saying you actually exist, that you're reading this story? C'mon.**

**REVIEWWWWWWWW.**


	14. Eerie Relations

"I kept her bracelet…those two years we were apart. Seeing how beautiful she looked at the Ball, and leaving her in the dust, pretending to not care, was the hardest thing I'd had to do at that point in my life. Of course, she ended up throwing her bracelet at me one day in Hogsmeade, and I knew all hope was gone of us getting back together- because she hated e, and she hadn't gotten the clue. I went out with school rival and at first; I resented Pansy, only pretending to be having fun with her…I loved someone else… And every time I saw _**her,**_ my heart would soften, and I tried to keep her safe, even if she no longer belonged to me. She moved on, at least I thought so, she hated me so much in her 5th year…I helped bust the secret club she was in…but helped her escape- which I know confused her greatly. It's pathetic, how glad I was, to have an excuse to touch her again, to speak with her- even if she yelling at me, she was talking to me.

"During that year, I learned she kissed Potter. And I finally understood how it felt to have your heart betrayed. I was with her archrival, as she had snogged mine. She most likely had other secrets that year, like when we got off the train at Platform 9 ¾, I saw her hug Fred Weasley…and they seemed so close. But all she ever told me was he replace the gaping role of the older brother left by the late Cedric…she has way too many "siblings." The Weasleys, Potter, Granger, Chang…they all love and treat each other as brothers and sisters. Cedric was her very best friend, and even though he's gone, not even Ginny can reach that level of companionship."

My dad was rambling endlessly now, but I was getting my dad's side of the story. From years 1-6…somewhat. And I was treasuring this too much to stop him.

All I had to was get my mother's side of the story, and I'd have both logs and know the whole story.

"In my 5th year, I still could tell Denise loved me deep down from how she tried begging Harry to stop beating me up after a Quidditch match…at the time, Pansy came to my rescue, and I wanted Denise to have taken her place- but your mother realized the truth of reality once more, and she turned away from me, regretting her thoughts to comfort me…that happened once or twice- her urge to protect me- then realizing she couldn't. But somewhere along the way, I started to actually like Pansy. In our 6th year, I allowed her to play with my hair- something only Denise had done before. I'd put my head in her lap…the only thing that upset Pansy was I seemed different…off somehow. When I said I probably wouldn't be returning to Hogwarts for my final year, because I'd have moved onto bigger and better things- she was hurt. But she felt secure- that she'd won. And she did, for a few months."

I looked at him with a surge of pity.

"In December, I realized I would forever lose Denise if I didn't do something fast; but if she didn't want me, I wouldn't push her, because I was now the enemy, not only to her but to all of Hogwarts…And I didn't want to _ever _put her in danger or at risk."

So Father knew, that he was now a Death Eater, and his mission, if he succeeded, he'd never return to Hogwarts- and my parents would cease to ever speak again- being one of those tragic tales of people who cross paths for a time, but obviously don't end up together- star-crossed.

"See, you were a good guy!" I started to insist, but he ignored me.

"So, I pulled her into a deserted corridor as she passed one night after dinner and snogged her."

"Ewwww." I shriveled away in disgust.

He chuckled. "She was so afraid at first, but hearing my voice she calmed…It was Potter and his now-wife who found us. That was awkward…Potter told me off…and then he told me how he'd snogged Denise at the end of the last term to spite me. I nearly killed him, but held myself back. I knew I'd regret it, and I knew I couldn't kill him if I tried."

I did not speak, or move.

"When we got back together, I gave her the bracelet back- along with two more charms…it was as if we'd never gone our own ways. Your mother was…so grateful. She…she was just so glad to have me back I broke it off with Pansy," he smiled widely for a moment, "and then the worst hit us." His smile fell. The clock chimed midnight.

"Midnight?" We'd been talking for three hours. "Well, long story short- don't go for Patricia- if she's _anything_ like Pansy, because you'll be trapped until she likes you so much- that she wants you to happy no matter what, and that she'll make one lousy threat, and vanish. Go for the worthwhile one- like your mom is to me."

He stood up and then looking at the old family portrait, of when we was a teen- he motioned for me to follow.

"Ask your family for the truth on the past, Scorp. Not strangers. And Potter and Weasley's children will not say anything unless-"

"Someone else says something, they told me."

My dad blanched at me for a second, and then said, "Right…right." Then he pulled out his wand saying, "Before you go to bed, I want to show you something. "

I wondered what my father was about to do. He said an incantation, and on the right side of the portrait, in the large empty space I'd always questioned, appeared a woman that looked very much like my grandmother, but had curly, funny hair and looked more…insane…and…slutty.

"My maternal aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange, formerly Black, a Death Eater…she taught me scary things, Scorpius. She's dead, thanks to Weasley's mum…but still, we got rid of anything relating to her, so she couldn't possibly somehow influence you, and I stopped contacting my parents because I didn't want you to grow up as I had- as a slimy git. Everything I've done in the past eleven years has only been out of love and devotion for you and your mother."

I was starstruck. What…how…I'd gotten ten more answers then I could have hoped for, but I was left with a thousand more questions.

My father did another spell, and my great-aunt Bellatrix vanished from the portrait once more.

"Merry Christmas, Scorpius." He kissed my forehead, and went upstairs to bed.

"One more thing, Father…how come Hogwarts is better than Durmstrang?"

My father paused at the head of the staircase, and looked down at me and said, "Because you learn so much more…don't be up too late now." He winked and disappeared.

I stood frozen, still looking at the empty spot in the portrait. It was eerie. To see how one person could be here one moment, and gone the next. I reached a slightly shaking hand towards the spot my father was in, as if touching that spot would help me understand him more, to get closer with him, and once a centimeter away, my father called to me from upstairs.

I jumped back, coming back to reality, and my hand fell limply to my side "Coming!" I shouted up to him, and I went upstairs, with one final glance at the portrait, and then I continued on my way, trying to ignore how the portrait now scared _and_ intrigued me.

...

**A/N: The one person here, next gone in a moment line foreshadows something in the story. ;) Take your guesses at what it is in REVIEWS!**


	15. Christmas Cries

Early the next morning, I awoke and heard voices coming from downstairs. I pulled off the covers, and quietly put my feet on the polished wooden floor and walked towards the source.

I walked up the steps to the drawing room, listening to what my parents were talking about, as the whispers got louder and more defined as I drew closer.

The Christmas tree seemed out of place in the room, with the purple walls, fancy furnishings and architecture…the tree seemed silly. I bet the tree would have looked natural, right at home in Rose's house, in James and Albus' house.

"Denise, this place has too many memories." My dad started, his hand up against his forehead, as if he were face palming, and he sat in an armchair by the fireplace…the one from the portrait.

"Draco-" my mother tried to coax him, and she sat on the other arm of the chair, and had her hands on his shoulders. As I inched to the top of the steps, I realized she was massaging him- trying to relieve some of his stress.

"But nothing, 'Nise!" he boomed, then dropped his voice to a hoarse whisper. "You were tortured in this room by my evil aunt! And so was Granger….This room…that day- as well any other day during the time this house was used as his headquarters…was torture. I watched him kill all those Gringotts workers in here…it's not just one thing…it's so many things about this room alone. It wasn't one time. Voldemort used our house as his headquarters that year…this house radiates evil."

"Now who's being the paranoid one?" my mother asked sarcastically.

"But if you're right about this…and you're usually right when it comes to these things- something bad will happen- and _some_ part of it has to do with this house."

"Draco…you told Scorpius a bit of your past as a Death Eater. I get that, but you telling him won't get us killed. Trust me." She said huskily in his ear. "If anyone came after you or our son, I'd kill them."

So Mum really didn't know about the Pansy and the reason behind the breakup and Yule Ball mess…Dad was telling the truth.

"No 'Nise! It's **my** job to protect this family. You are to run with Scorpius if anything were to happen."

"But Draco-" my mother interjected, shocked, and dropped her hands from her shoulders.

"But nothing, 'Nise. I love you. So, so much- that it hurts. You know that right?"

"Of course." My mother seemed taken aback he would even doubt her devotion to him.

"Then you know I have to, for once, do something right when it comes down to us being in danger."

"Draco, you know I don't think-"

"'Nise. Look at me. _**Look at me**_." He said more forceful the second time. My mother turned her head to him, her eyes swimming with tears. He tucked a loose strand of honey-brown hair behind her ear and said, "I'll protect you and Scorpius. I promise. Even if I die trying." My mother choked on a sob and my dad pulled her onto his lap and held her as she cried. They both cried.

I decided I should go- because I was intruding on a secret moment. I wasn't supposed to have seen that. I went downstairs and carefully crept around, avoiding making sound, and the living room, specifically the portrait. Finally, when I was bored and sure my parents had relaxed a bit- at least- cleaning up their tears- I headed back upstairs.

I'd only heard a third of the conversation, and it was still too much. Every moment my parents shared was romantic and heartfelt. If you were into girly movies, and cried a lot, you'd never stop bawling in my parents' love story. I trumped up the stairs to my room, and then stomped on the ground in my bedroom, so they'd know I was up.

The talking ceased, and when I entered the drawing room once more, my parents came over to me from the Christmas tree and motioned to the presents under it and said in chorus, "Merry Christmas, Scorp!"

I raced to the tree, and ripped off the colorful wrappings on each gift.

New stuff for the Quidditch team I supported, clothes…new games- like Exploding Snap and a new wizard chess set…things you'd expect an 11-year old wizard to get…well a wealthy 11 year old wizard.

Apparently, Grandpa Lucius was on the top 15 list of the wealthiest wizards in Britain or something…I don't really know.

I was a lucky kid…but how far could my luck extend?

...

**A/N: Lots of foreshadowing here...yes- I'm deliciously evil...haha.**

**I just want to say it's 9/11...10th anniversary...and I live close to the WTC...it's sad...very sad...I think even peole from Britain or wherever will understand the graveness of this day for America.**

**But on a happier note- I got my Draco poster! The one where he's in the R.o.R when it's on fire...yeah...I love it. :DDDDD**


	16. Like Father, Like Son

"Scorpius!" I thought I heard my name being called in the corridor once back at school. It was April, and months had passed with normality.

I turned around and saw no one, I continued on. Little did I know, Rose was trying to push her way through the crowd to get to me, but she couldn't get past all the upper classmen. It was the only chance she had to speak to me somewhat privately- because it was the one time when she was around, I wasn't with my gang.

I spoke to James frequently about what my father had said and even he seemed shocked.

"I…I never knew…Everyone thought he was just a terrible git for dumping her…but he never actually WANTED to…that means…" he spun around and zeroed in on Patricia sitting at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, while we remained outside the grandeur doors to it, looking in.

Everyone seemed so carefree, and happy…as if the weight of the world had never brought them down. My life had constantly been up and down, even with my parents' constant protection.

Once, at the manor, I was about 9, and snuck out of the large gates and walked down the long road, until I reached town.

The gate threatened to tell on me, but I knew it wouldn't. I smirked and hung out in the square all day. It was a breezy spring day from what I can recall, and I remember being unable to control my magic- and a bunch of muggle boys my age saw.

"Hey! You! Do that again!" the oldest and largest one called out to me.

I jumped and looked around, but he was looking at me, it was clear even though there were loads of others in the square.

"Me?" I mouthed back, pointing to myself.

"Yes you!" then he turned to his friends. "God, I'm telling you, blondes are the dumbest people you'll ever lay your eyes on!" the boys snickered, and my blood boiled. Dumb, huh? They didn't know who they were messing with, and quite frankly, I didn't either. All I thought that prized me above them was I was a wizard (which was useless at the time), and that I extremely wealthy, not that they'd know. The Manor had a muggle-repellent charm on it.

"Hey! I'm not stupid! You are! You big dummy!" I said. "Just wait until my father hears about this. He'll-"

They cut me off, laughing hysterically. "Aw, what's daddy gone do?" they laughed again. "You don't look familiar…do you live in Wiltshire?"

I nodded.

"How come I've never seen you around before?"

I knew better then to give the actual reason, but I wanted to see their reactions so badly.

"I'm a wizard. My parents put a charm on our mansion to prevent muggles like you from coming to beg us for magic or money." I snorted. "You're as muggle as they come."

I was being prejudiced, and in the back of my head, I knew my mother would be very, very angry for that.

"Muggle? Wizard? Charm? Mansion? Magic? Is that what you did "rich" boy? Magic? Show us and we won't hurt you." They stepped towards me menacingly.  
>"I…I can't." I stuttered, now afraid, as they pounded their fists into their hand, and cocked their head evilly.<p>

"Why not almighty wizard? Show us the powers you've gotten from Merlin." They laughed and attacked.

"No. Please!" I begged as they punched me, and I fell.

They just grinned. I thought of how Mum had once brought up Mr. Potter and his cousin and how he was mistreated by him.

"GET. OFF!" I yelled, and fury fired up inside me, and the boys flew off me, and I lay alone on the ground. I got up, and ran, but not before going, "Yeah! Take that!"

I got to the gate and begged for it to open up quickly.

"Your mother's realized you've gone. She's rounded up every member of the staff to find you in the house or on the grounds…"

"Oh, shut up and let me in."

"State your purpose."

"It's my HOUSE!"

"Technically, it is your parents-"

"Forget it." I squeezed through one of the bars and sprinted down the long drive and went through the cellar door, used for servants. I ended up in the kitchen and I walked into the entrance hall and got halfway up the stairs when my mother found me.

"Scorpius! There you are! I was just about to call your father and Harry to help me! Where were you? No one could find you anywhere!" she launched into a rant. I should've picked a day when my mother wasn't home on her day off.

"Scorpius…what happened to your eye?" I sighed, and turned to face her, taking my hand off my face.

She gasped and put her hands up to her mouth. "Oh, Scorp. What happened to you?" she asked with motherly concern.

I knew it'd be unwise to lie, so I divulged what I had done. When I was finished, she scolded me fiercely, then got her sweater and wand and opened the front door.

"What…What're you doing?" I watched in fascination.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going to have to wipe their memories of this encounter aren't I? I ca't believe you were…so…so…"

"Stupid." I finished sadly, I know. "I'll wait in my room for my punishment from Father when he gets home."

She looked at me sadly, as I hung my head in shame.

"You're not stupid Scorpius. You're a kid. Everyone makes mistakes." I didn't look up. "Tell you what," she squatted down to my height, "I won't tell Daddy." I snapped my head up. "Really?" I asked, brightening.

"But," she continued, and my smile faltered. "you will help the house-elves with the chores for a week."

"A week?" I repeated.

She nodded. "A week."

And she set off for the boys.

I was alone now, excluding the staff, and knew I had lucked out and also that my mother was too kind to me for my own good. Just because my father tried not to spoil me as he had been, didn't mean my mother wouldn't spoil me at times. She spoiled me by giving me such a lame punishment.

By the time my mum came back, she was exhausted, and went straight to bed. I lay up in bed all night, looking at the ceiling, feeling guilty about what I had done, and even more so with my mother's calm reaction. She promised not to tell Father…but I had to tell him.

I got out of bed and crept to my parents' room and stood in the hallway door, the light illuminating my silhouette.

"Father?" I asked quietly.

My parents stirred and sat up.

"Scorp? What's wrong?" they asked, waking up.

"I…I had a bad dream."

"Do you need to spend the night in here?" Mum asked, worried.

"No…I just…I was hoping that you could stay with me until I fell asleep again."

"Alright, let's go." My mother sounded, and I shook my head.

"Can…can Dad?"

My father's gray eyes opened wider. I'd always asked Mum for comfort…But he nodded, and threw off the covers. He asked my mother something, she murmured something back, and he nodded. We went back to my room, and once in my bed, him sitting in a chair beside me, I told him about earlier that day.

"Scorpius…I'm very pleased you've told me this…you're finally growing up- taking responsibilities for your actions. I agree with your mother's punishment though."

I nodded. He got up to leave, knowing I just wanted to get that off my chest.

He got to the doorway when I said, "Dad?"

He turned to me, "Yes, son?"

"If I pick who my father was out of everyone man in the world- I'd still pick you. Love you." I looked up to him so much.

My dad seemed so pleased and I thought I saw tears welling up in the corners of his eyes, and he crossed the room in a few short quick strides and grabbed me in a fierce hug.

I was locked in at first, surprised, and then smiled, closed my eyes, and wrapped my arms around him too.

My father loved me, and I loved him. He, at that time, thought of his relationship with his own father, and probably thought how their relationship wasn't as…kind and nurturing as ours was. We had a bond that I liked to think was unbreakable.

My mother was lounging in the doorway to my bedroom and smiled, obviously thinking of father- like son, as she saw two identical figures, the only difference in age, embracing each other tightly.

Then she left us to our moment.

**...**

**A/N: This was complete spur of the moment- I got on my pc and went- wth am I supposed to write? I know everything basically from the end of his 1st year on...but if I jumped the remainder of his 1st year that's be weird...so I added this chapter and it got me rolling again.**

**But seriously- this is IMPORTANT! I really feel like no one is reading this anymore. If you are reading, just please, please, please leave a review I haven't gotten one for the past like 5 chapters! And to all of you who don't read my author's notes or ignore them, or choose not to review- c'mon. I know the tactic. Oh, the NEXT person will review, and she'll upload. But if one person thinks that, then the next, and next...I got ZEROOOO REVIEWS!**

**GUYS! It's not hard to review! Just say it's good for all I care. It's 10 seconds out of your day, and if you're reading fanfiction- you probably have freetime to do so anyway. So !**


	17. Chocolate and Sapphires

"Scorpius- we need to take her out." James stepped forward towards the Great Hall.

I couldn't let him be so stupid and make a fool out of himself in the midst of everyone in the entire school. I pulled him back.

"No." I hissed. "We can't do it now."

The third year looked at me, the mischief fading quickly from his eyes. "Why not?"

I looked past him, towards Albus and Rose. They were talking to each other and laughing and chatting with other Gryffindors in our year. That should've been me, with them. Albus was grinning brightly, his eyes sparkling, and his hair was as messy as ever. My best mate was perfectly fine without me.

But what I really payed attention to, was the figure beside Albus. Rose. She shone above the rest. I only saw her then. Her red, long, curly hair. Her perfect smile. How she was kind to everyone. The red of Gryffindor was perfect for her. I wished I could be as perfect as her.

James looked at questionably. "Scor?"

"What?" I asked, dazed, turning back to my friend.

"When do you suggest we take out Patricia?"

I forced myself to away from the place I wanted to be, and towards the place I actually belonged to. Patricia sat with her little girl gang and tossed her hair behind her shoulder as she laughed at something someone else was saying.

She was golden. Her dark hair shocked me as it contrasted with her deep blue eyes, something I must've missed the first time. Her hair seemed more brown then black under the lights, and her pale skin glowed. Her green robes didn't seem to do her justice.

I didn't know what had changed. But I would not permit James to touch her in this moment.

"Give it a couple of weeks…" I trailed off and suddenly both girls shifted their eyes from their groups to the doorway of the hall, and saw me.

Brown eyes meeting gray. Blue meeting gray. Chocolate and sapphires. Red met blond; black-brown met blond. The moment stretched on forever. They seemed intent on studying me; as if their staring would be a great enough pull to make me go to one of them- to choose. But I couldn't, not now. I turned my back to them, and walked out.

"Scorpius!" James ran after me. "Scorpius!"

"James! James!" I sounded too, and rolled my eyes, continuing.

He raced ahead, and caught me. "What was that? You were…looking at my cousin…like…like…" he didn't finish, he didn't need to.

"Has Albus spoken of me recently?" I asked, but I really meant Rose. But I knew in the corner of my mind, I also wanted to know Albus still cared too.

"No…" he said cautiously.

I sighed. "Never mind."

"Unless you count months ago- at Christmas dinner. Dad brought your father up…and I said we were friends."

"What happened?"

"Well…Mum seemed happy, and Aunt Hermione did too. Uncle Ron gaped at me, not eating anymore- which was a surprise, and Dad just asked if Albus and Rose were friends with you too."

"What did they say?" I said eagerly.

Albus jumped right in, and said, and I quote, "Scorp is my bestest friend in the whole world! We haven't talked in a while, but that's okay! I know he misses us, I see how he's pretending not to care! Just like his dad! Right Dad?" James rolled his eyes.

"Dad nodded, and Albus said, "Mr. Malfoy pretended to hate everyone, and stuff, and that he didn't care what people said about him- but he really did care- and Scorpius is doing the exact same thing! And he's alone in Slytherin- I wouldn't even care if I were in Slytherin now- because Scorpius is there!" James mocked lightly.

"And Rose?" I asked timidly.

"Oh, Rosie. Well Teddy asked what she thought of you, and she turned as red as her hair, and muttered something. Teddy knew what she must've said, because he grinned slyly, and asked her to speak up. She said that she was _waiting for you. _That she missed you; she thought she knew you better." My heart deflated at the end. She knew how I really was. I would've thought the pair would've given up on me as we'd only been friends on the first day seemingly- but our friendship appeared to be strong from the beginning. Or…James had something to do with it.

Waiting for me…it could be taken under different tones- one romantic, and one caring, friendly. I hoped it was not the latter, but if it was, I'd settle for it. Rose didn't care I was a Slytherin- she liked me for who I was, for better or for worse…and Albus did too.

**...**

**A/N: No sense of angstiness and mystery for Scorpius' search for the truth of the past. Nope. Just pure fluff and Scorpius' own problems.**


	18. The Missing Chapter

I started going to the library often. Because I knew what I'd find in there. Rose. She was too much like her mother too not be in the library for research and homework. The way her blue eyes focused on the words in the textbooks, I wish were the same as when they focused on me- not they ever did to begin with. Of course, I had other reasons. I had went through every book in the library I could get my hands on that even mentioned the slightest thing of my parents. Most of them mentioned my mother as Harry Potter's best friend, or Draco Malfoy's girl…I didn't find much out, as they were all cutesy little summaries about my parents. I knew there had to be a whole book written about my parents somewhere…but maybe it wasn't here- but Hogwarts had everything. I thought I'd look it up in Florish and Blotts in the summer.

All I had gotten from the books were that my parents played a large role in the role of love and hope during the war- and then also how they actually contributed to the war- the good and the bad side .I had open _Death Eaters of the 20__th__ Century II: The Second Wizarding War_, and a copy of the _Battle of Hogwarts, _books. I was intently studying both; glad to come to the library to get away from my gang- they were too stupid for a place like the library.

I groaned and shut the Battle of Hogwarts book. I'd read this a thousand times in the past 3 weeks, and got nothing. There was a page. One page dedicated to my parents. Something about how Voldemort "won" and Dad joined him, so he wouldn't die, and then mum followed, they were together again, hugged, blah blah blah- romantic crap. The large picture that took up the whole left page was a moving picture of the hug. My mother was frozen, looking at Father, then their faces lit up, and she ran to him, and he held her so tightly, as if they were afraid they'd have been dead already. Apparently, my mother was ready to give up everything for my dad. But what did that help me with what my father said about how Mr. Potter saved my dad twice that night?

The Death Eaters book was more about every other Death Eater then my dad. Even Grandfather was in it quite frequently, having his own chapter. My father was mentioned scarcely. Then I noticed in the middle of the book, there were pages torn out. I blanched at it, and then checked the page numbers.

560…561…593…what? Chapter 13…Chapter 15. Where the hell was chapter 14? And who was it? Dad? It made sense. Great-Aunt Bellatrix was 15…and Grandfather Lucius was 13…My father's chapter was as long as the most faithful Death Eaters if my speculations were correct. Around 30 pages or so of history of my father…and this was the only copy known to the school, and if I asked for one in the bookstore, the bookshop owner would think something strange of me- as if I were planning to get ideas from the book.

I put the book on a dusty shelf- meaning no one would ever come to check out this book- I'd come back to it another day. I was checking back in the Battle of Hogwarts book, when I saw her again. This was my chance. For weeks, I'd tried to work up the courage to talk to her again. After what James had said, I figured Rose still wanted to be my friend. She looked so angelic, in the setting- it was where she belonged.

"R-Rose!" I called, starting towards her.

Her head snapped up, and her azure eyes focused on me, and they brightened- as if I made her whole day worthwhile by saying her name. I was so close.

Then, Patricia jumped in out of nowhere. "Scorpy!" she scolded. "Let's get away from here. You don't want to hang around with the likes of the spawn of a blood traitor and mudblood." She pulled me out of the library, forcing space to put in between Rose and me. And Scorpy? Didn't people learn?

I turned back and to my horror, I saw she'd already put her nose back in her book, ignoring me again, but I could've sworn I saw her teeth clench- out of anger for Patricia. She was reading off my emotions, I swear- because I felt exactly the same. I heard a slight snap, and knew Rose's pencil had broken in half from the force she was putting on it.

Once in the Great Hall for lunch, Patricia settled across from me, and Gage came sauntering in.

"Goyle!" Patricia waved him over, and he looked around for the source of the sound, then realized it was us, and smiled, walking over. He came by my side and as he passed me he firmly pat my back, nodding in approvement of Patricia.

"Hey ya, Scor!"He settled on my right side. Soon enough, we were joined by Zambini, Bulstrode, and the others.

"Oh Maggie! Blake! I was telling Scorpy about who the right people to hang out with are. Don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort, now do you?" she winked.

Unfortunately for her, James had somehow heard this from across the room, and he got up and made his way across the room to my group. Victoire, a pretty girl in her final year, cousins with my best friends, grabbed onto the hem of James' robes to prevent him from going any further. He yanked his robes away from out of her reach, and kept going.

"I mean, look at the Potters. They are so dense. And the Weasleys? Don't get me started. I mean-"

James tapped Patricia politely on the shoulder, and Patricia whipped her head around to face him, reminding me of an angry lioness.

"You really shouldn't be making fun of a Malfoy's friends, especially if it's a Potter or a Weasley." He sneered, crossing his arms.

"And Patricia- I really don't like you at all. You want to hurt the people I love- you're going to have to go through me. I'm finished with your bossiness. You're a liar, and a jealous bitch." I said calmly.

"I swear to God, don't ever lie about matters you know nothing about." warned James.

"My mum had my dad first, and in fact- your aunt never really had him anyway."

"What- what do you mean?" stuttered Patricia, her eyes shining with tears.

"I mean-" I spoke slowly and clearly, "that my dad never liked Pansy, every minute they were together- was a lie. Reminds me a bit of you. A lie. That's it. You shouldn't believe every word you hear from your loser aunt. From what I understand…she's a hag…no life whatsoever."

Patricia turned as red as Rose's hair, got up to only reach James' chest, and she dashed past him, and out of the hall.

Everyone was quiet. A Malfoy and Potter…friends? A Slytherin and Gryffindor? A 1st and 3rd year? And since when had Scorpius Malfoy actually cared for anyone but himself…all year…was it just a facade? Like how his father constantly put up, to keep people out?

Goyle blanched at me, shocked at how different I was from what he'd thought I was. James winked at me, and went back to his seat.

No one had even stopped the confrontation…not even the teachers. They just watched in amusement...

I looked around, and saw everyone watching me, as I was the only one still standing.

I ran a hand through my white-blond hair and fast-walked out of the Great Hall. I heard the talking raise to a non-existent whisper. I heard A fork clatter onto a plate, and my name being called.

"Scorpius! Scorpius!"

I could almost hear the whispers now. Was it how Malfoy's parents were? Only Diggory could get past Draco's tough exterior, and into his heart…and now…would Rose be able to?

She had run out after me.

"Scorpius." She caught up to me. She looked up into my eyes and the blue met gray. It wasn't gray on gray anymore- that was another generation. She had her hands on each on my upper arms.

"Rosie." I gasped.

"Scorpius…I waited…so long. I thought…I thought….we would never talk again…that we weren't friends anymore…that….that you hated me."

"I could never hate you." I said back, surprising her as well as myself.

"I missed you so much." She sniffed.

"I know." I smirked the infamous Malfoy smirk.

She smiled, and she snuggled into my embrace, her arms wrapped tightly around my torso, and her cheek was pressed up against my shirt. I wrapped my arms around her too, and rest my head on her red head, and relaxed. I never thought I'd get to speak to her again, let alone hold her in my arms.

People looking in on the moment must've been so shocked to see a Malfoy hugging a Weasley, but we didn't care. We were best friends. And that's the way we wanted it to be.

**...**

**A/N: The Death Eater book is more important for his 2nd year...and awww Scorose relationship is so cute. **

**Tell me who you prefer- Scorose (Scorpius/Rose) or Dranise (Draco/Denise) in REVIEWWWWWSSSSSSSS!**


	19. Best Friends of the Old and New Alike

On the day we were to board the trains for home, I was in my dormitory, packing, and putting away all the things I'd brought. My clothes were in already, but I pulled one picture off my nightstand, and smiled. It was of my parents and me. My dad was standing next to my mum, and I was behind them, then I jumped up on my dad and locked my arms around and neck and he laughed as he stumbled out of the picture.

I safely tucked it in my luggage, and then Goyle came in, looking very sorry.

"Goyle? What're you doing? I thought you were with Blake?" I turned to him, shocked.

He shuffled his feet over to me and handed me a frame. I looked at it, and saw my father in the center of it; with two giant, beefy, dim-looking guys were standing on either side of him, looking like bodyguards. My father was grinning, his arms around both of his cronies, and guys were stoic, but you could see a small smile playing on their mouths, as they stood, their arms crossed over their chests.

The one that was Goyle's father was on the right, and he was bigger, but not as wide as Dad's other friend. I recognized Goyle from pictures around my mansion- like wedding pictures for my parents. He was the best man in those pictures. I looked intently at the other man.

"Goyle- who is this man?" I said, handing the picture back to him. He grunted and I asked again, this time saying, "Gage?"

"He was Vincent Crabbe…he died in the Battle of Hogwarts…he was not a good man…and not too bright…and he tried to kill your mother, and almost got our parents killed along with that golden trio, when he died himself in the Fiendfire." He then handed me another picture in exchange for the one I'd given back to him.

I wasn't expecting one of my mum's best friends now, because there were plenty of them at home- her, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and so on. But what I got was along the same theme. It was a picture of Goyle and me.

We were back to back, as if we thought we were so cool, and at this point in time, he was a head taller, as I hadn't grown very much yet- and our arms were crossed over our own chests, and we were wearing our Slytherin robes. We had cocky little smirks on our faces, and I loved it.

I looked at Goyle who was looking at his shoes on his feet, and shuffling a bit nervously.

"Thank you Goyle." I said sincerely.

He seemed taken aback- as if he'd expected me to be like my father and take his gang for granted.

"You're definitely my best friend in Slytherin house." I said and he nodded, and shuffled out again without a word.

He'd helped me so much this year. He had even just told me about Crabbe- something I'd never known until then…and he'd told me about one of the ways my father had almost died. In a cursed fire.

And it really touched me seeing my dad at about 14, with his own friends.

I had friends from different houses though, unlike him.

I finally putting that picture of Goyle and me in my suitcase too, closed it, and sighed when I got to the dorm door- looking back once more, my hand on the doorjamb.

And to think I'd come back for a year better than this one next term- and because I'd have my real friends around now.

Then, I exited the Slytherin common room with my eagle owl, and my luggage, and went to board the train.

Albus ran over to me, and hugged me. "C'mon Scorp! Rose is waiting for us! We need to find a good compartment!"

Albus. He had run out after Rose had the other day, and interrupted the romantic tension, by going in with his goofiness and hugging us all together. The romantic tension switched immediately to easy-going best friends type of tension. I had laughed, and I wasn't angry- because honestly- at 11, I wasn't looking for a relationship, plus, Albus was my best mate.

And sure enough, we hurried over- mini replicas of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy- to Rose Weasley, who was standing on the steps on the train leading to the inside and her face lit up immensely when she saw us coming.

"C'mon then!" she giggled, and disappeared into the red train. We, best mates, looked at each other, grinned, and Albus led the way to his cousin.

We got our own compartment, and then James popped in once the train started moving.

He plopped down besides his brother, and I reached over to shake his hand.

"James! Go away!" moaned Rose from next to me in the window seat, and Albus, across from her, agreed, while shoving a whizzing whizbee into his mouth.

"No, he's welcome to stay." I turned to Rose and Albus, the latter nearly choking on his snack as I finished speaking.

"Scorp- I know he was your friend when we weren't around, but were back- you don't need him anymore." Albus said.

"Exactly, and he's one of my best friends. Deal with it." And James and I high-fived.

"You are your father's son." James laughed, helping himself to Albus' supply of sweets, as Albus showed his displeasure by glaring at his older brother.

Rose and I laughed in unison.

"What took you so long anyway James?" I asked, holding out my hand for someone to put a candy in my hand, and Rose obeyed, putting a chocolate frog in my hand.

"Had to say goodbye to Professor Longbottom- or Neville…and also to Hagrid. Mum and Dad would've killed me if I didn't…speaking of- they said to tell you Scorpius, if you don't visit them next year- they'll tell your mother."

This was actually a terrible threat- as my mother would go berserk on me. And I thought it might do me some good on digging up the past- as both Hagrid and Neville knew my parents very well.

Rose and Albus stifled a laugh. Clearly, on their departures, those adults gave them the same message to pass on to me.

I unwrapped the box and looked at the card. I blanched at it.

"Denise Diggory." I said aloud, reading the famous witch's name. I didn't even begin to think my mother had one- and everyone came close to look.

"She's not rare, but not common either. Good one, Scorp." James pat my back.

No wonder I'd never come across one before.

"For aiding Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley in the destruction of Voldemort. And for also becoming an international icon of the coupleage of her now husband, and long-time boyfriend- Draco Lucius Malfoy."

Then, in a tiny inscription in the bottom said, "For love and light exists in the dark- even for the darkest people." It clearly signified my father- and how she kept him sane and not totally evil.

Everyone looked at me. "I wish it explained more." I sighed, and put it in my pocket. Then, taking a bite of the frog, I said, "Oh! That reminds me! I found a book in the library at school when I trying to look up my parents and their past- you know family past digging? And In the Death Eaters book- the chapter dedicated to my father was ripped out. Around 30 pages of the book gone. And the book is only about 15 years old!"

Rose looked like she was about to faint. A book that had been mistreated? She'd look into this. Albus looked at me in horror, and James looked perplexed.

"Well, when we get back to school- we'll definitely look into that- and try to find those missing pages. Who could've ripped it out? I just wish you'd told us about it sooner!" Rose pouted; sad she hadn't been able to do something in the last few days of term.

"I didn't tell you because I forgot, and anyways- you would've driven yourself crazy over the summer break with this too!"

"Oh, believe me, I would have if I had any more insight to this." She crossed her arms, and slunk down in her seat.

I laughed lightly, and said, "I didn't want you to have this to sort out when exams were already on us- you had to study!"

"You can't shut everyone out Scorpius! We're in this together." Rose turned to me and said genuinely.

"She's right- as always." Albus said wisely. "You don't want to be like your father who went bad partly because he tried to do everything himself- and he kept to himself…" he trailed off.

I sighed. "I won't keep things from you guys anymore. Even if it possibly can ruin your lives by knowing, I'll tell you." I joked.

Rose slapped my arm playfully, and James and Albus lauched at me and messed up my hair and such.

When we got off the train, I hugged the trio bye, and promised to write, then we separated, but not before the Potters and Weasley's came over. "So, little Scorpius Malfoy. We've heard very good things about you." Mr. and Mrs. Potter smiled, as did Mrs. Weasley.

"We've heard only but good things from our little girl, right Ron?" Hermione turned to her husband and he grunted, obviously not too pleased about his daughter getting on so well with Malfoy's son.

Then, my mother burst through and hugged her friends, lingering on the Potters a second longer and grinned.

"Ready to go home, Scorp?" she smiled after letting go of Harry.

I nodded, and to my friends muttered, "See you."

Then, I joined my father who shook my hand, which I particularly didn't enjoy.

"You're a young man aren't you?" he asked surprised when he saw how I didn't like his greeting. "You always say how now that you're at school you're too grown up for us in your letters."

"But I didn't actually mean it!" I whined.

He grinned. "What about the other times on this platform this year- you seemed to want nothing to do with your parents." His eyes were glinting maliciously.

My mother shook her head at her husband's fatherly strangeness, but was grinning.

"I take it all back." I pleaded with him desperately, and he grinned from ear to ear.

"If you're sure." Then he bent down and I jumped him, and he ran through the portal to the muggle train station, giving me a piggy back ride. My mother carried my things, as she walked besides us Malfoy men, and her face clearly stated, "What have I married into?" but in a joking way.

She glanced back at her friends once more, and I did too, and saw my friends- my generation- and her friends- her generation- all laughing at us. My father held onto my legs as he zoomed around in swerves on the way to the car, and I held onto his head, behaving like I was eight again. It was great.

**...**

**A/N: As I want to do other stories besides Harry Potter for a while now, I'll be working on those- one at a time of course- daily. But this one, I'll ry to update around once a week. If you want me to update more- tell me in reviews. Because I feel like I'm taken for granted- because I update so quickly, and I get no reviews...do people just not read my author's notes...because I tend to think they're either important or fun...so you SHOULD read them...**

**anyway, favorite, alert...and...**

**REVIEW!**


	20. Happy, Happy Birthday to Me

The summer went by too fast for my liking, as much as I was waiting for school to start back up. I saw my friends the majority of the year, and this year I knew I wouldn't have to worry about separation from them, or anything like that. But my parents, I seemed to rarely see them anymore. With me gone, they had gone to throw themselves into their work, meaning they were both at the Ministry all the time. I should have been proud, but it made me feel lonely all the time in the giant manor. So, one night, my parents realized this- and the next morning, on my 12th birthday, all my friends appeared with their parents.

"Scorpius!" Rose came through the front door first, throwing her arms around my neck.

"Don't kill him- he's only been around twelve years." James rolled his eyes, pretending to not care, but when Rose let go, he walked over and grinned saying, "Happy birthday, mate."

"James! I wanted to say that!" another boy said from behind his father.

"Hey Albus." I chuckled.

He raced over, and held up his hand so I could high-five him. I did so and we continued with our goofy secret handshake.

Mr. and Mrs. Potter smiled gently.

She touched his arm and he nodded.

"I'll be there soon. I promise."

Then, it was her turn to nod, and she Disapparated.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came through the door finally, with Lily Potter and Hugo Weasley in tow. They'd be attending Hogwarts next year.

"Do you mind if they stay for the party?" Mrs. Granger asked Harry.

"It's up to Scorpius." He motioned to me.

"No, it's fine." I looked up from the younger kids to the adults. "Really, the more the merrier."

Hermione Weasley sighed, and tucked a curly strand of hair behind her ear and said she'd cover for Harry with Ginny and Ron if he decided to stick around. Then her and Mr. Weasley took hands and stepped into the fireplace, using the Floo Network.

It was just us kids and the famed Harry Potter here now.

He grinned. "Well, let's get this party started!"

"Daddy- you're not cool!" little Lily moaned.

A smile spread across my face, and looking at Lily, I saw the most adorable little girl ever. But she was only two years younger, and it felt rude to call her a little girl. She was as beautiful as Rose, if you thought about it.

"Yeah, here- let me give you guys the grand tour." I skipped to the front, and in response, Albus and Rose rushed forward, and linked arms with me on either side of me; and Mr. Potter looked at us in a form of looking to the past- he probably saw us as we saw us- the new trio. But the thing that really got him- was it was Weasley, Potter, and Malfoy…as Granger was no more. That name had conjoined with Weasley.

Room after room I introduced, and the longer the tour wound on, the more amazed everyone got at how large the place was.

Finally, we explored the drawing room- which is where we had all the gifts and party decorations.

We all entered the room, and separated, looking at the different things.

Rose was examining the portraits of my relatives, Albus and James the architecture, and the younger two- the colors and stuff.

Mr. Potter stopped in the doorway, and took in the sight.

"I haven't been in this room since…" he trailed off, and his eyes welled up with tears, but he blinked them away furiously. Lily and I noticed, and she stopped touching the furniture textures and trailed over to her father and took his hand, giving a soft, innocent smile.

He returned it, and I turned away, in time for he to lift her up and giving he a piggy-back around the room.

My dad had been so busy this summer, he couldn't help it, but he and Mum took too many vacation days according to them, not to anyone else. I suddenly remembered how Dad had done that when school let out, at King's Cross. I missed my dad, even more then my mum at that moment.

Rose noticed my own sadness along with Hugo, and the siblings went over and Hugo took my hand, and I looked down at the little redhead, and then Rose, on my other side, intertwined her hand with mine, and rest her head on my shoulder, as we looked on the scene.

I saw my friends enough, never my parents anymore- as much as they wanted to leave work- they just….they needed to work.

But towards the last week before summer ended, Dad said one late night he'd take me to Diagon Alley the next day for my books, and I didn't sleep that night, because I was too excited.

I got up at around 8 in the morning, and rushed to my parents' room to find the bed empty, and being made by our house elf.

"Master Malfoy- how can I assist you?" he bowed deeply.

"Have you seen my parents?" I asked.

"They left for work about two hours ago sir…they said for you to take the Floo Network to Diagon Alley…" he trailed off, as I had already stormed from the room, tears clouding my eyes with anger.

I should've known it was too good to be true. All summer had been great, but I looked forward to heading back all of a sudden. Once in Diagon Alley, I met up with the Potters and Weasley's, and we shopped all day.

Later, Mrs. Weasley stopped me, and told the others to go on ahead to the ice cream parlor. They skipped along, looking back at me as they went.

She knelt down to my height, and I looked away, knowing exactly what the words were that were about to come out of her mouth.

"You don't have apologize. It's not your fault. It's theirs." I muttered, averting her steady, knowing, piercing gaze.

"I wasn't about to say that. I just want you to know- you don't have to be so formal and uptight- we're you're family too. Your parents- your mother is like our sister, and our children all love you. Your parents wish they could have spent more time with you this past-"

"Yeah right." I murmured.

"Scorpius, look at me." I didn't. "Scorpius H. C. Malfoy." She turned my chin to face her, and I looked at now, her eyes were exactly like Rose's. I was talking to the mother of the girl I cared so immensely for.

"They've been doing important work for the Ministry…" she stopped for a moment, obviously not allowed to divulge more. "But they love you very much." She stopped, and smiled ever so softly. "You look precisely like your father. Same hair, facial features…eyes…figure…exactly the same."

"Is that a good thing or bad thing?" I tried to joke.

She was about to answer when Rose and Hugo's voices rang out. "Mummmmmmmm! Dad says you have the money!"

"Alright, we're coming!" she called back, and stood up. "Let's go, Scorpius." She held out her hand, and we walked through the street, as I realized she and my mum were so very much alike.


	21. A Second Family

School was so very much better than last year, I'll give you that.

The Sorting was fun to watch, watching the terrified children go up and put on the ragged hat. It was interesting until one little girl went up. She had narrower eyes, so she must've been oriental, and her hair was so long, straight and black like a raven.

She almost became a hatstall, being up there a few minutes. She seemed to arguing with it.

I felt a pull to her, as if we were related, or like we should have been cousins or something. Her name was Katerina something. She looked familiar, somehow.

Finally, the hat yelled aloud, "RAVENCLAW!" and the table beside Slytherin clapped loudly. I looked at the girl, and in turn I caught Rose's jealous, hurt look at me and Katerina. Then, she spun around, and the James and Albus looked at me, and then laughed at Rose.

I wished I could join them, but I knew I was meant to be in Slytherin, and I had Goyle with me. It was fine. After the feast, I raced up to Katerina and introduced myself.

She gasped.

"Scorpius? My mother is old friends with yours!" she grinned, thinking to herself obviously, that at least she'd know someone.

"Who?"

"Cho Chang?" she tilted her head, as if I should know this.

"Oh, right." I knew that. Cho used to Uncle Cedric's girlfriend…until he died…then it clicked. Katerina would have been my relative if my Uncle hadn't died- if you know- she did exist if she had him for a father.

I immediately was pulled into the passing Slytherin crowd by Blake and Goyle.

"Zambini- what're you doing?" I asked, paying no attention to Goyle.

"Do you want to spend the night in the damp dungeon outside the common room all night?" he asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course not! But that wasn't nice!"

"Since when are we nice?" he laughed at me.

"Why must you all do your best to maintain Slytherin's old reputation?" I shot back.

"Who was that girl anyway?" Goyle asked shyly.

"…A…a friend." I said, I wasn't about to admit that she was like a long-lost relative, even if we weren't even related. I was sure Katerina didn't even know about my uncle.

I didn't until last year- thanks to James.

I thought back to earlier, even this morning, my parents hadn't seen me off. They left very early that morning, and kissed me goodbye and took one long look at me, sighed, and went to work. Later, I woke up in Rose's house. My parents had brought me there in my sleep with my belongings- like my top of the line broomstick for Quidditch and my robes and books and such.

I was the youngest Quidditch seeker since Albus' dad had been at Hogwarts. I'd, like him, got on in my 1st year, and James, like my father, got on in his 2nd year.

Of course, that morning was hectic, but Mr. Weasley had a huge smile on his face the whole time, not caring Malfoy spawn was in his house- maybe he finally saw me as a Diggory's son too. Maybe he'd finally gotten to accept that one of his best friends, one he loved like Mrs. Potter, his real sister, was wed to my father. Or maybe he finally realized he couldn't change who his children liked and who they were friends with, and that I was a good kid after all.

But that seemed so far-fetched, and he later said how this reminded him of his Hogwarts train days. Those September 1sts…for years…chaos in his childhood home…and how Harry and Hermione would stay with them…and that's where I came in. I was the guest he actually was happy to have.

I got hugged by not only Rose's parents, but her brother, and then Albus and James' parents and their sister. It was like a huge extended family. Once on the train, we playing a few games of Exploding Snap and such, and I thought of my parents and everyone else's. Why were my parents so wrapped up with work? Why was it confidential?

Albus elbowed James and they then threw Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans at me until I looked away from the window at them.

"Why so glum, chum?" James said, trying not to smile at his apparent joke.

"James! Ugh. If only Teddy or Victoire still went here! At least Lorcan and Lysander are. Go play with them- you're in their year- you're friends with them. Go away!" Albus pushed his brother out the door, and James was forced to go find Luna Scamander's twin sons.

"Watch- not only will the twins be in a compartment, but Lucy, Molly, Fred, Roxanne, Dominique, and Louis will be in the same one. All our cousins in one place…away from us. Not that we don't like them…it's just…we like you better." Rose blushed at the end.

I'd met practically all of these people over the summer.

The twins reminded me of Mrs. Scamander herself, and Fred and Roxanne came over to dinner sometimes- as my mother was very close to their father- George. I knew that whenever she called for Fred to help her with the dishes or something, tears would seem to arise in his eyes, but disappear just as fast- as if it were his namesake she was thinking about. I only knew the original Fred Weasley and my mother had been very good friends, and no more.

Dominique I'd seen around Hogwarts, but had only formally met once, when I got lost in a hallway, and her brother Louis was a year above us, and would give me and James' private flying lessons for extra skill whenever I visited Rose's or James' houses. But Lucy and Molly I had never met- I only knew they were total know-it-alls and according to their cousins- prats.

Now, in my dorm room, in my bed, I was looking up the ceiling, and Goyle along with the others in our shared room were sleeping, some snoring. But that wasn't why I wasn't sleeping.

Now that I was back, I'd have to go back into the searching of my family's past- or more like my father's past. It was all buried, and I'd dig it up, I had to. Rose and Albus and James and maybe others would help me on my quest to achieve this, because I knew I couldn't do it alone, I needed Rose's help- even if we had gotten tied for the top grades on exams last term- I still thought of her as the smarter one.

We'd have to find that missing chapter from that book, and that was basically my primary goal right now- as I figured almost everything would be in those missing pages. Maybe not the things about my mum that didn't tie in with my dad's life- but most of it would have them both together. And my parents change in behavior these past few months made me want to solve this mystery even more.


	22. Book Hunt

What do you want me to say? School is school. It's not like how every day was exciting, like in the previous generation. Most of my free time was spent looking up everyone who had checked out the book previously. When I got to the person who had first taken the book out, they said there had always been a chapter missing, but he figured it was a misprint.

A dead end and I was starting to lose hope after a few months. It was Halloween, and up until the big feast, my friends and I had spent more time in the library- looking for any clues.

"Of course!" Rose snapped her fingers, when we said we were going to eat. "I'll meet you there in a bit." She rushed away from us and into the restricted section- as we had already gone through all the regular inventory books- every single one…eve if it was something totally unrelated like fictional fairytales.

Albus shook his head, "Rosie is so weird. C'mon Scorp. We'll miss the pumpkin soup!" And we rushed to the Great Hall, ready for the giant pumpkins and other decorations and festive food.

Rose didn't come through the giant doors for hours. Finally, we headed back with James to the library, and she was there, her hair so bushy and wild- it only got that way when she had overworked herself. I touched her shoulder and she looked up wildly and relaxed when she saw us.

"Nothing. Not one book in all of the restricted section on your parents."

"And you're still under that vow not to say a word?" I said angrily, they were so reluctant to say a word.

"It's the Unbreakable Vow, Scorpius. Our parents were so deadly serious about your parents' privacy, they made us. If we tell you…"

"I know what happens…I just don't believe you couldn't be bothered to tell me something as crucial as this last year! Oh, it's just a minor detail, let's not let Scorpius know that EITHER!"

The librarian swooped in like a hawk, and ordered me to keep quiet, or she'd make me leave.

"I was going anyway." I huffed, shoving myself past Albus and heading back to the Great Hall to fetch Goyle.

This. I was alone again, but I liked to think it wasn't my fault this time. How could they expect me to tell them everything, when they couldn't return the favor?

**...**

**A/N: Three chapters in one day? For most lazy writers on here that's great- but I'm always ready to write, and so this isn't remarkable for me. This chapter is pretty short...but it gave insight to the search for that chapter...it's a lot of filler...cause I something BIG planned for his holiday break, explaining some stuff, but this missing book thing is going to drag on for the rest of his 2nd year- sadly. :(. Just one question- do any of you guys actually REVIEWWWWWWWWW?**

**;)**


	23. The Burn Book

**Well, it's been a tiny bit over a week since I last uploaded, did you miss me? Nag- you probably missed Scorpius and Denise and Draco didn't you, you selfish people! Lol, jk. :P :) READ, REVIEW, ENJOY!**

...

Why did I have to have such a short temper? Why did I automatically jump to conclusions? I mean, they were almost always right- but still- it was assuming. My friends had not spoken to me yet in the past week, and I had borrowed James and Albus' invisibility cloak last week and by giving it back to them, I was talking to them and by talking to them, I was giving in. If there's one thing I could not stand was to admit I'd lost. That's partly why I was without those friends this time last year. So, I made myself useful, and got back to work.

I took the invisibility cloak out from under my pillow and put in on just as the lake's giant squid swam past the window closest to my bed. The noise of the lake was utterly calming at night, and everyone fell asleep within minutes of going to bed usually, unless troubled by something. I seemed to always have some type of troubles; therefore, I spent much time lying in my bed at night, looking up to ceiling. When I'd get bored, I'd climb out of the bed, and sit down in front of the window and watch the sea life dart around, totally oblivious to the troubles of the world above them.

I then walked to the door of our dorm room, and looked back, seeing Goyle and Blake and a few others sleeping. My usually combed back gelled hair now was in its regular state- the hair hanging down in front of my eyes, and I brushed it to my left, and cursed the Malfoy hair for a half second. Next year, I'd make a part in my hair so it didn't get in my face anymore, because let's face it- my comb-back looked good now, but next year, it might not, and it getting annoying to do my hair every morning- I felt like a girl.

I then left and headed to the library, and had my wand with me. When I got into the library, I held my breath when I heard Filch passing by with Mrs. Norris. How old were they now? Shouldn't that cat be dead now? I let it go, and continued into the restricted section of the library, determined to find something Rose hadn't.

"Lumos." I whispered, and a light appeared on the tip of my wand. I prized my wand above all other materials, including my state-of-the-art broomstick. It was phoenix feather core, black walnut, 12 inches, unyielding. I remembered suddenly Ollivander, and how it had been somewhat difficult for finding the right wand.

"Ah, the newest Malfoy boy- I began to wonder when I'd see another one of you." The old man had winked. "Bet you didn't know little Scorpius, that the first born child of a Malfoy is always a boy?" He zoomed down the shelf on a ladder, trying to pick one out. "Ah! Hawthorn, unicorn hair, supple- it's a lot like your father's." I looked to my father then, and then reached a hand out for the wand-but when I touched it, I felt like this wand was not powerful enough for me, it didn't quite get me.

"Hm…well, this one then. Ash, unicorn hair, 14 inches, same wood and core as your mother's." Why was he so insistent on unicorn core?

But as I touched it, the wand shot a red hiss, and Ollivander snatched it back quickly. "No, no…tricky…much more so then his parents…it must be the core! How about…dragon heartstring, elm, like his grandfather. My father's hand tightened on my shoulder at the reference to his own father.

But that wand wasn't right either, and finally, he handed one made the rarest core= phoenix feather, and with black walnut as the wood. It fit me, and everything seemed to fit into place holding that wand. Ollivander watched content. "Not one I couldn't get yet! That'll be seven galleons."

Back in the present, I went back to looking for any information. One book shook as I passed it. I'd gone through all the books in here already- but I hadn't seen this one before. I took it off the shelf, and opened it. I heard it hiss, "Beware the defected- the traitors. We're coming for you." I dropped the book as it suddenly burned me.

Defected what? Who was coming after what traitors?

I heard Filch say, "Oh, one of those students in the library! I'll go get Professor Bigby, he's close by."

Bigby. He was so against my family- always saying we belonged in a prison, that we got off, and he said how my father must've tricked my mother into marrying him, for a good girl like her could never marry someone so evil. He said my father should have died in the Battle of Hogwarts with his aunt…he should've died the night Dumbledore died.

I'd ignored him at first, but eventually, Rose and Albus told their parents, who told my parents, who came to the school and complained. And now, if a word he said was against my family in class- he'd be fired. But he still hated me.

So Bigby and Filch came and I held my breath.

"I hope it's not Malfoy or his punk friends. Stupid child- exactly like his damn father. God- the family line should've ended with him- but that poor Diggory girl got roped into it." I felt my blood boiling, but before I could attack, he walked away. I cursed quietly, and got out of there as quick as I could, thinking about the burning book's message.

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	24. Forgiveness on All Levels

"Rose! Rose! Albus! Albus!" I ran to the Gryffindor table the next morning at breakfast, not bothering to go to my house table. "You're not going to believe this!" I said to them breathlessly.

"Oh, now you talk to us?" Albus joked. Rose slapped him across the table and motioned for me to continue. Albus scooted over, and I sat down beside him, and told them all about the events of the previous night.

"I'm going to kill Bigby." Albus grunted, and I said, "Nah- that's James' job!" and we all cracked up.

Rose was more focused on the moral of the story. "A book burned you? And it said that? Scorpius, I don't have a good feeling about this. Maybe we should stay away from the restricted section from now on-"

"Ugh, you sound exactly like Aunt Hermione." James moaned, sliding in next to Rose at the table. "So," he turned to me. "What's the big scoop?"

"James," Albus and Rose moaned, but he continued, "I mean- everyone is giving you weird looks for sitting with the Gryffindors for breakfast today- so what's the honor?"

"A book in the restricted section burned him last night, and told him to beware of the defected, that they were traitors, and they were coming for them. Whatever that means, I'm going t find out." Rose stood up, and left the Great Hall, heading to the library no doubt.

James shook his head and looked at his brother, "What else?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Bigby- rude to Scorp's family again."

"Again? When is he going to learn not to mess with the Malfoys? He should know that messing with them means he messes with the Potters and Weasleys. Our parents are all friends now too!"

"Guys! Let me speak for myself please?" they quieted. "James, I appreciate it, but," I looked to my watch. "We have to get to the Quidditch pitch about now- first game of the year." And James nodded.

"What? You two need to eat more than this!" Albus scolded as James and I fist pounded across the table instead of shaking hands as we stood up.

"Oh shush Albus- you're starting to sound like Rosie." James and I laughed as we started to walk away from him, and he frowned.

Gryffindor won, 460 to 450. I'd gotten the snitch, but still Gryffindor won. I'd miscalculated how many points we had, and so I got it earlier then I should have. But some could have argued that James was about to get the snitch, and by getting the snitch we'd only lost by 10 points- so we still had hope to win the cup for this year.

Which was true, James and I always seemed to spot the snitch at the exact same time, whether we were both on the field, or in the stands.

I sighed, and a few weeks later, the first snow of the year fell. I'd be going home to the Manor in Wiltshire for the holidays next week. I wanted to see if my parents knew what the book might've meant- as Rose hadn't been able to draw a lead out of it at all.

And Goyle, in classes, we fooled around. Nothing was changing much besides the weather. What does a boy have to do for excitement nowadays? I knew I'd never stoop as low as my father- to bullying, and I knew the Golden Trio's days were filled with adventure- but our trio was stumped, and classes going on, the only thing left to look forward to was the holiday break.

**...**

**Yes, next chapter will take place back at the Manor, and the get up to some crazy stuff! ;) Let's put it this way- I've been planning this next part of of the story since early August. ;) Any predictions on what might occur? Tell me in reviews! 5 reviews for next chapter?**


	25. Vengance!

When we got off the train, and I was by my parents, about to leave, I heard my name being called frantically.

I turned and saw red curls bouncing and medium brown hair flopping as their owners ran to me.

"Hey." I laughed. "You couldn't wait to see me again, could you?" I pretended to think I was all hot stuff, and my best friends laughed.

"No Scorp. We just forgot to give you our Christmas gifts." Albus said, grinning. "Here, this is James' and this is mine." He handed them to me.

"Don't open them until Christmas." Rose said, starting to give hers to me, and then yanked her arm back when I put the other two gifts in one arm and reached out with my free arm for the new one. "Wait, better not risk it. Here." She handed the gift to my father. "Keep it away from him will you, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I'll guard it with my life." My dad joked, and my mom, with her hand holding his upper arm, smiled, and leaned her head onto his shoulder, giggling.

"Thanks Rose." I muttered.

Rose kissed my cheek bye and then hugged me fiercely. "Merry Christmas, Scorp. Have a good holiday." She whispered in my ear before pulling back, and then Albus hugged me quickly too.

"Have a good one, mate." He grinned.

Then, they left me, and standing there for a moment, I realized I had yet to give Albus gave his dad's invisibility cloak. It was one of the Deathly Hallows too! I had to give it back! I suddenly grabbed my suitcase from my mum and rummaged quickly through it, and pulled out the cloak and ran after my friends.

"Scorpius- how did you-" my mother started, astounded by seeing the cloak after so many years. She must've had good times with this cloak and her friends. I knew my mother would zip my luggage back up, and I kept going. I'd already given them their gifts for Christmas, before getting off the train, but how I forgot this, I didn't know. Everyone seemed to be heading the direction opposite me, and that just made it all the harder. Finally, I saw a glimpse of Weasley red hair- and ran over, and pushed the cloak into Albus' astonished hands.

"Here." I panted.

Mr. Potter and the other adults looked puzzled at how I'd had it, but I didn't care.

Albus grinned. "Scorp- you didn't have to give it back to me now!"

"I felt bad." I admitted.

Albus sighed, shaking his head. "Alright Scorpius- we'll see you soon." And I nodded, and took off again, back to my own family.

Now, at home, on Christmas Eve, I sat with my parents in the living room, and mistletoe and the holly and garlands hung everywhere- and it was festive. We'd just had dinner minutes ago, and now were relaxing, as a family in front of the crackling fire on the sofa.

Then, the alarm went off in the house. That meant someone had broken through the gates. We all tensed up and looked at one another.

"It's nothing." My parents tried to assure me, but I was sure they were trying to convince themselves more than me.

Then, there was a knock on the door- a loud echoing knock- with our brass knocker.

That tore it for my father, who realized the situation's brutality.

"'Nise, go. Take Scorpius with you. I'll hold him off." We were all standing now, and now the lights were off, and the fire had gone out, making the house very dark- besides the natural moonlight through the windows.

"No!" my mother shouted. "Not without you." He eyes shone with tears, and her voice cracked.

"Denise, listen to me. It's me they want. I need you to be safe, please. I need you and our son to be protected and away from here. I won't let anything happen to you because of my mistakes- not again." He caressed her cheek, and she tried to hold it there, but he pulled it away, as the mystery person knocked again.

A tear fell down her cheek. "Draco- please. Together, I can't let you do this alone. I'd be making a mistake by letting you face him alone."

The push on the door was startling. They were breaking in.

"GO!" my father pushed us to the stairs. "Run!" he kissed her quickly and then looked at me for a second, and with another clap that sounded like thunder but was really the door being broken down, he became more urgent. He pulled out his wand, "I'm ready." He whispered.

My mother looked at him, then me. She ran over to him, and quickly looked at his face with her hands holding his head, and then kissed him once more, and brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"Forever." She said softly, and I realized she was pointing to her locket. "And always."

Then another thunder clap and she let go of him.

"I love you. Be safe!" she called back to him, as she grabbed my hand and pulled my up the stairs. "Go and get your wand from your room- I'll grab mine. Meet you in the hallway. Go!" we split up. I darted into my darkened room and I heard a fight downstairs.

"It's your fault my son is dead!" an older male voice yelled gruffly.

"Crabbe! It's not! It was his own damn fault-"

"You were supposed to be his friend!"

"I was!" my father said, and I then focused and launched at my nightstand for my wand, and I knocked the lamp over as I wrapped my fingers around my wand.

"There's others in this house right now." The man guessed right, after hearing me.

"No there's not." My dad said quickly.

"We both know that's a lie. Wherever you are, your little love, Diggory, is never far behind. Is she upstairs, Malfoy? Are you trying to protect her? Telling her to run? You always were stupid." The man chuckled. "I heard you have a son now too- but you never know when locked up in Azkaban for almost 20 years. You should've joined us there- along with your parents. You got off easy. You three were never really true followers. You shouldn't be allowed to have that mark on your arm! You're not worthy of it!" Crabbe yelled.

I shoved the wand my pocket, and ran down the hall to my mother. She was in her and dad's bedroom, and was looking around saddened.

"So it's true. You married her, and had a little boy. Is he the spitting image of you, or her? Either way- he's the spawn of two blood traitors." The man spat. "He looks exactly like you. Is he exactly like you too? A coward that uses bigger people to fight his battles? You don't deserve to have a wife or son when my son didn't! You don't deserve family when I've lost mine! It's all your fault!" he must've seen pictures along the mantle or wall of the three of us.

"I'm right here- ready to fight you. I don't see Potter, or Granger, or Goyle here to fight for me!"

I blocked it out. Dad had to win against this man, he had to.

"We'll come back soon, mummy." I said innocently, as I took her hand. She realized I was there, that it wasn't just Dad and her anymore, they had a son together now, and she picked up her wand, putting it in her own pocket, and paused a moment. I was so scared, but I had to be the man here for my mum. Dad always said if something happened to him, I was the man of the house.

"Azkaban- it's cold, dark…you lose yourself there…I can imagine your girl after seeing you so insane for being there for years…she'd run screaming, and you'd be alone until the day you die there, and you'd be buried outside the prison."

I could almost see my dad gritting his teeth. "That's where you're wrong, she'd never leave me. She didn't upon learning what I'd become- one of you- when we were in school- she wouldn't now. Plus, she'd never allow me to die and be buried there. She loves me too much."

"So you think!" he laughed.

"You have really forgotten what love is haven't you Crabbe? Losing your son, because of his stupidity. I almost died there too! I wanted to save him! It was too late though!"

"LIES! I'm done talking; it's time to finish what the Dark Lord started." And I heard something shatter downstairs where a spell must've hit.

"We're apparating. Brace yourself." my mother said fiercely , determined to get me away from there. And so I grabbed onto her right arm tightly, and was sucked into a world of darkness, where it was suffocating.

And when we got back to the light of the real world, we weren't at home anymore.

We were at 12 Grimmauld Place- the Potter's house.

**...**

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	26. 12 Grimmauld Place

_**This chapter is dedicated to my friend Bria, who kept pestering me for an update. ;) 3 U Bria! :D**_

_**...**_

"Come on then." My mother pulled my hand, and we walked up to the front door.

We stopped, and she groaned. "My keys are at the house!"

"Why do you have keys to their house?" I asked, puzzled.

"I have keys to here, and Hermione and Ron's house. They have each other's keys, and I couldn't give them mine- because the manor has all these charms on it that prevent anyone besides the owners and/or residents from keeping a house key."

"Oh…ok." I pretended to follow her.

"Well," she said, using the brass knocker on the door, and not looking at me, "let's get inside- we're safe on the doorstep…but it's freezing." Then she smiled slightly. "I'll always love the Order for making this their Headquarters years ago. So many protective charms on this place…we all agreed if anything ever went wrong, we were to come here- as a safe house."

Order...Order…? Order of the Phoenix? We had heard of them in school- they were great, great wizards and witches who fought against Voldemort and the Death Eaters…my parents' roles were so opposite, weren't they?

A little over a year ago, I thought it was just the house rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin that caused them to be apart- but they were on different sides. My mum was in the Order…and my dad was a Death Eater…

Dad…I gulped. We'd left him back there…would he be okay? I had no idea who had fired that first spell back when we were still home. Who was winning…losing? I knew better then to bring up Dad to mum, as she wasn't looking at me, and I knew why. I was the spitting image of dad, and I was him half of the time.

If something had happened to him, she would not look at me, because of the similarities we possessed; it would be like seeing him all the time, when she knew he wasn't really there. It could drive a person mad.

I knew she wanted to be back home at that moment so badly, her desperation and urgency radiated from her. She wanted to stay with him, to fight with him, to protect him.

I could tell she didn't like having to leave him behind. She didn't like listening to his orders either. She frowned and took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment.

"Mum…Dad will be okay, right?" I asked in a small voice. I had to ask, I had to.

She gripped my hand tighter. "A cat always lands on its feet, sweetie. Daddy'll be just fine."

She brushed some hair out of eyes and smiled sweetly. But I could see the doubt and lie flash in her now cold, dark gray eyes as she tried to make her smile reach her eyes.

The door opened at last, and light flooded us.

"'Nise?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

"Hermione…he came…he came for us. Crabbe…he came." Mum choked out, now reduced to nothingness as she came face to face with her friend.

"Oh God…come in." She stepped aside to let us into the house.

She shut the door as we got in.

"The children are all upstairs, in James or Albus' room, I expect. Scorpius- you can right on up."

I simply looked around, and then focused back on her. "Scorpius- I know you've scared, and confused. But Albus and Rose can comfort you much more then you can. They're your friends. I expect they'll be pleasantly surprised." I nodded, and I walked up the stairs.

I looked back as I had started to climb, and saw Ginny forcing a cup of steaming tea into my mother's hands as she sat on the sofa, staring at the television in the room. She was shaking, and her eyes were glittering with tears.

Once at the second level, I saw another flight…and another…how many rooms were there in this place? I mean, my house was bigger, but I knew it so well! This…this was uncharted territory.

I walked down the hall, and saw rooms with unfamiliar names on them. Regulus…Sirius…Sirius…where I had that before…

"_The one and only James Sirius." _James had said that when I first met him- his partial namesake- Sirius…Sirius- Harry's godfather…Sirius Black! This must've been the Black home until it got into Mr. Potter's possession.

I found no golden nameplate with my friends' names on them, so I went the next flight of stairs.

Once there, I saw _Harry & Ginny_, as one, and Lily…and finally James and Albus had rooms across the hall from each other. I stopped, not knowing which room in which to try first, and secretly wondered what was upstairs…

Albus' door swung opened and Albus stopped dead in his tracks as he saw me.

"Scorpius!" he grabbed my arm, and brought me in the room, not bothering to close the door behind him. "Look everyone! Look who decided he missed us so much, he had to see us on Christmas Eve!" everyone laughed, from Hugo, to Rose, to Lily, to James.

"Guys, stop." I said seriously, and James, being who he was named for, said, "You going soft on us, Scorp? Can't take a joke? Mad because you forgot your gifts at home?"

"You didn't hear why I'm here did you?" I said, annoyed. So much for using the Extendable Ears, huh?

"No, we didn't. Scorpius…what's up?" Rose popped up off the floor and crossed over to James, Albus, and me.

"We were attacked…Crabbe Senior…Dad ordered Mum to take me and run- he'd fight Crabbe off…stall him…"It's me they want anyway." he said to us." I swallowed. "I have no idea if he's alright or not."

It was quiet…then James spoke up. "Well, you're alive!" he said all too brightly. His positivity made my frown grow more defined.

"James!" Lily scolded, and went over to hold my hand, supporting me beside my two best friends.

"Well, isn't this ironic. James and Lily." Hugo spoke up, smirking.

James was pissing me off. Sure, I was alive, and my mum was too- but I was only worried about my dad. If it weren't for me, maybe my mum would've stayed at the Manor, and helped Dad. I was pouring the entire fault on me at that moment.

Albus turned to me. "Your dad is going to be perfectly fine, Scorp."

"Daddy always says he was a coward in school, but he did this, tonight, he's changed…and he's a great wizard for that…willing to face him. He's like Severus Snape sort of!" Albus looked at Rose, because she used his partial namesake. "Well, he was a Slytherin, and he was brave when it came down to it, wasn't he? He was a double agent…and everything he did was out of love…" she trailed, and Lily knew she was talking about her own namesake.

I thought I heard raised voices for a moment downstairs, and shushed everyone.

Then after a moment, I got back to the conversation, saying I must've heard wrong.

"Scorpius- you can tell us anything. We spoke about this last June. We're in this together. Not just us either."

"Yeah. You have us." Hugo and Lily sounded. "We may not go to Hogwarts until next year, but we're still your friends." Lily and Rose were on either side of me, holding my hands, and they were both so beautiful and kind. Hugo and Albus and James grinned, we were all on the same page.

But, then I heard something downstairs again, and after a slight hesitation, I told them I wanted to see what they were talking about, so they pulled out their Uncle George's extendable ears, and we went to the railing, and lowered the ears to listen to the conversation between my mother and her friends.

I decided I needed to see it too, so I crept down the stairs with Albus and Rose behind me, a flight behind, and I peeked out the railing into the living room and saw my mother. I saw the extendable ear above my head, and I looked up, and James, holding the string, gave me a thumbs up, and the younger two were on either side of him.

Albus and Rose did wait on the stairs, but at the second floor entrance, peeking over the railing, down at me and the scene, and above them were the others. We all needed to know what was going on with the adults…and I needed to know news on my father.

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**_REVIEW!...Yes you too Bria. ;) Don't just tell me about it tomorrow in class or on FB. :)_**


	27. Nise's Insight

"Denise- we can't help you unless you tell us what happened." Hermione sighed.

My mother took in a shaky breath, put down the cup of tea she had yet to sip from, and started. "Scorpius has no idea that Draco and his parents left the Death Eaters early, and that's why they're not in prison today. He doesn't know anything about Crabbe, and how he was Draco's friend, and how he died in the Room of Requirement because of that…stupid fire that almost killed all of us. He doesn't know that Crabbe's father was the Death Eater that's escaped from Azkaban and that he's coming after all the defected Death Eaters…like my father-in-law, or my husband."

So Dad would've gone to prison if he hadn't been defected? I wouldn't have been born? Then, I thought o the burn book. It had said they were coming for the defected…what if that meant the Death Eaters wanted revenge on those who hadn't gone to Azkaban with them…traitors…who had gone to the good side when it came down to it.

"We were home…and Crabbe Senior broke into the grounds, which couldn't have been too hard for him, as it was Voldemort's headquarters at the height of the war…And Draco knew it was him he was coming for…he was a Death Eater…that dreadful mark on his arm." My mum buried her face in her hands. So she hated that mark, because it represented something so evil…but she loved Dad, so it didn't matter all that much- but for this- a Death Eater coming after us, was all too much.

"It's like the Potter's situation." My mum looked to Mr. Potter. "Except they weren't coming for our son- it's my husband he wants to kill. And he made us leave…to protect us. I have no idea if he's safe, or alive." My mum sobbed. "If he's dead…I think I'd pitch myself off the Astronomy Tower at Hogwarts."

I looked up at James, Rose, Albus, Hugo, and Lily with a wide-eyed, horrified expression on my face, and you knew they'd heard it too, for their expressions must've mirrored mine.

"What about Scorpius?" Ginny asked, horrified.

"I can't bear to talk to or see him right now. He has no idea what's going on…and he is exactly like his father…I…I can't."

"So? You can't leave him as an orphan!" My mum looked to Harry for a half second, and then back to her headstrong ginger best friend.

"He'd have you, and Albus, and James, and Lily. They already act like siblings."

"You will never die in any form of death in the place Dumbledore died!"

Harry went stiff, as if that made him feel ill.

"He said that death threat once. Draco." He said.

"What?" my mother stopped crying to look up at him.

"He said, in our 6th year, your 5th, going to Hogwarts he'd rather do that- kill himself- then continue for another two years at school."

"Why…why would he do that?" he eyes widened. "Of course, he didn't have me back yet."

Hermione smiled. "He loves you so much, Dee. He'd die for you, and his life serves no purpose without you- or so he's told us…a million times." She winked, and my mum laughed, it must've been a joke.

"Denise- we're going to go to the Manor, and we're going to bring him back. I promise." Ron promised.

"Ron, Harry! Wait." My mother stood from the sofa and ran after them. "I'll go with you. I can Apparate anyway. You can't stop me."

"Stay here…because you have some explaining to do anyway with your son." Harry looked at me, and I gulped from my hiding spot.

"Harry, you may be in charge at work, but this is my husband and home we're talking about. Ginny and Hermione will stay with the kids. I'll go and help."

"Draco wanted you to flee for a reason. What would he do if he knew you'd returned for him, after he specifically told you not to come back?"

My mother frowned, at a loss for words. She opened her mouth, and then shut it again. Then spoke up, "I don't care. I can take care of myself. Something you three boys know more than anyone else."

"Maybe, but we're not taking any chances. We have to catch Crabbe…and I don't want you there if it gets messy. If something happens to you, who do you think Malfoy'll blame? Us! Not you! Us!" Ron hissed.

"I'm a Malfoy too, Ron." She put her hands on her hips, and even I could see the engagement and wedding bands glinting on her fingers.

"Wish you wouldn't bring it up all the time." He mumbled.

The three women and Mr. Potter laughed.

"I have to go." She insisted again, when the laughter subsided.

Ron sighed. "You know it's not only Malfoy who loves you, you know? We all love you- but you belong to him. Your parents, brother, us, the kids, the rest of our families…"

"Cedric and Fred are dead Ron." My mother said irritably.

"Denise, you never sound so bitter about them!" Hermione gasped.

"Well, they've been dead for over half of my life! Draco has been my life! And he's out there, and he cannot join the club of the people I've lost!" she spun around on the girls. They were silent, so she wheeled back around to the men. "Ron, you hate him! While Harry and him may have made their peace- you still never forgave him! Why are you going? I'll go instead of you!" she was getting desperate, playing the last of cards she had in her hands.

"'Nise, I love you, like an equivalent to Ginny. I'm not going for him. I'm going for you. Do you think I like seeing you like this? None of us do! And the only way to stop that is to bring him back…plus- he's the only one who can ever truly make you happy, or stop your tears. You don't know how many times whenever you were sad, and you wouldn't let anyone in, but him. Like the PTSD…you didn't tell us for days! It was him who told us first!"

"You'd really help him, someone you hate…for me?" she asked, her gray eyes wide.

"Of course." He kissed her forehead.

"Hurry! We're wasting time chatting!" Hermione looked at her wristwatch.

"Bloody hell!" Ron stepped back towards Harry.

Everyone was silent for a moment. Then, Harry looked at mum sadly before swearing, "We'll bring him back. I promise." And then the guys Apparated, and were gone.

After a minute of looking at where they'd Apparated, Mrs. Weasley and Potter clapped their hands and said, "Let's go and sit, shall we?"

They went back into the sitting room, and my mum sat in the same spot on the sofa, while the others sat on either side of her.

"What am I going to do?" she sobbed. "If anyone gets hurt, it'll be my fault." Mum complained.

"Ron and Harry have inflated egos, but so does Draco. The fault is Crabbe's- for doing this…or Vincent Crabbe for dying and almost killing us almost 20 years ago." Hermione said thoughtfully, and my mom laughed for a small second.

"Hermione, Ginny- what am I supposed to do! I have to go, but I've been ordered to stay here. Scorpius is here…and I can't abandon him…"

She stood up, and so did the others.

"It'll work out fine, you'll see." Ginny tried, but my mum turned on her.

"How can you promise that? My husband might be dead! How is that fine! I don't know anything on his condition! What if they can't find him, or they do, but it's too late!" she was pouring put her worst fears to the room.

"My my." Said a voice from beside me. "She's very frightened and worried, isn't she? Dear me."

I jumped, and looked around, and realized a portrait was talking to me. He looked familiar, and then I knew why. He had another portrait in the Headmaster's Office at school! Phineas Nigellus Black…I think. I dunno, it was around those lines.

I knew I was very, very distantly related to him, as my grandmother had been a Black. "Be quiet please. My mum is freaking because my dad might be dead." The words tasted weird in my mouth.

"You're a Malfoy. You look just like Lucius and Draco."

"Well, considering that's my grandfather and father- I'd expect so."

"Scorpius Malfoy." He looked at me.

"Wait- how do you know?"

"There's a tapestry upstairs- third floor, with all the Black ancestry on it. You're on it. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be going to other painting so I can sleep!" and he walked out the side of the painting, disappearing.

I made a mental note to check out that tapestry later, and focused on my mother's rant again.

"Scorpius- who are you talking to?" Rose and Albus called from above, in a whisper.

"No one." I whispered back, and tried once more to focus.

"You don't think we're worried about Harry and Ron too!" asked the other women incredulously. "We're in the same boat as you now!"

"I'm just scared." My mum said, as if she were about to burst into tears again.

"We all are. If a Death Eater, especially once like Crabbe escaped- can you imagine the rest of them escaping?" Hermione shuddered.

"The worst of them are dead at least." Ginny tried.

"Like Bellatrix…Draco showed Scorpius her in the old family portrait, on this night- a year ago!" If anything, I'm glad your mum killed her Ginny- before she killed us. Remember?"

"How could I not? She was about to kill you so Draco would be unattached to the light side, and me just because. At least you had a purpose. That means she considered you a threat."

Hermione laughed hoarsely. "Yeah, she considered us a real threat when she carved "mudblood" and "blood traitor" into our arms at the Manor skirmish."

"Wait- what?" Ginny asked, and so my mum laughed weakly and said, "Um, funny story actually."

"Just kidding- I know what you mean. I just spaced for a moment."

I narrowed my eyes. Gosh, mothers were so weird.

After a few minutes of useless girl chatter, they went into the kitchen to brew more hot cocoa and coffee. My mum was drinking a cup every few minutes, she was so nervous. I started upstairs, and Albus and Rose ran down to me, and started up with me too. James slid down the banister and I kept going up the stairs, even when we reached the landing with Albus' room in it.

"Scorp, where are you going?" they called after me.

"Trust me on this one." I called over my shoulder, and tried door after door, and then in one room, on the wall, was an old tapestry with all the Black family members on it. I quickly scanned it and found my grandmother…and then father…and under- Draco Lucius Malfoy and Denise Diggory-Malfoy was me- Scorpius Hyperion Cedric Malfoy.

My friends darted into the room, and quieted when they saw what I was looking at. "The burn marks are for people the Black's basically disowned…like…Sirius." James said sadly, pointing at a burn mark on the tapestry, farther away from my own spot on the giant thing.

"This is so weird-" I started, but then I heard distantly, downstairs, a pop and shouting.

"DENISE! HERMIONE! GINNY! GET IN HERE FAST! FETCH DITTANY! MOVE THE STUFF OFF THE SOFA!" and other orders were given out by my friends' fathers.

I looked at my friends, and sprinted as fast as possible out of the room and down the stairs. "Slide down the banister! It's faster!" James shouted, but I was jumping flights of stairs now in my haste. My mother screamed, and more urgency and tension seemed to be rising from where all the adults were.

James, Lily, and Hugo slid down the banister, but did not pass me at my pace.

Albus and Rose, loyal to the end and not reckless, sprinted down the stairs after me.

When I finally reached the bottom of the stairs, my heart was not only thumping in my chest, it was pounding in my ears. I stopped in the entrance archway into the sitting room, and Albus on my right, and Rose on my left, we all gaped at the scene unfolding before our very eyes.

James and the younger two jumped off the end of the banister and jogged over behind us and the same horrorstruck faces overcame them, the only difference, was my face was paler then any of them.

**...**

**And so there's a mini-climax! ;) Till next week! ! (you too Bria!) xD**


	28. In Truth

Harry had my dad under the arms, and Ron held up his feet, and they walked over to couch, struggling as they carried the dead weight of my father. Mr. Potter walked backward and I noticed that both he and Rose's dad had blood on them- but it clearly wasn't theirs.

"DRACO!" My mother screamed, and Mrs. Potter held her back, while Mrs. Weasley ran over to my dad lying lifeless on the couch, as the men put him down, and began applying dittany.

"This is worse than when Ron got himself splinched…remember that?" she turned her head up to Harry and Ron. "During the Horcrux hunt."

"Ginny- let me go, that's my husband, in pain- and you're stopping me from comforting him!" my mother fought desparately, tears leaving tracks down her cheeks.

"'Nise, you would just get in the way. Your…grief would get in the way of his care."

"What a load of bull!" she said back, and broke away from Ginny crossed the room quickly and fell to her knees at the couch when she got to Dad. "Give me that." She snatched the dittany from Hermione and began applying it herself. "He's going to be fine; he's going to be fine. He has to be." She said in a normal tone, but was clearly speaking to reassure herself. Then she snapped her head to the males. "Why didn't you bring him straight to St. Mungo's?"

"Because we figured you'd be mad if we didn't bring him to you first. And I know, either way you'd be bloody angry- so we chose this route." Ron stated.

My mum sighed, and once again, Hermione took over, using all the spells she knew that would help, as she knew practically everything. My mum was as capable as her as doing those spells- but her emotions couldn't take it- right now she could only look at him, and stroke his hair, touching his clammy, sweaty, pale face. She dared not look at his wounds.

"Harry, do you remember the spell Snape used on Draco when you nearly killed him? This can't be much worse then what you did all those years ago!"

"Dee…it was rubbish to me, I didn't understand it at all. Plus, we can't ask Snape- he's dead…and even I we went back to the memory- only some of the incantation will be heard…that's it…we won't have the whole thing either way."

Mrs. Potter went back in the kitchen, probably to get away from the madness, and also to cook up something to soothe everyone's jumbled up nerves.

I was still frozen in place, and so were my friends.

"Harry, Ron- how did you find him? When you got there?" my mother forced out, not taking her eyes of her husband.

They sighed. "We got there, Apparated just in time. Crabbe was about to give Draco the final blow, he was on the ground, like this- but slightly conscious at that point. He literally was saying, "Kill me, not her, not our son. Just me." And Crabbe had cackled and replied, "My family is gone, and yours will be too. But you won't be alive to save them." We then disarmed him in hiding, and when he was confused, we came out into full view, used the full body-bind and tied him up, and took his wand- as proof, and so he's powerless. He picked up Draco- and he wondered why we were they, ESPECIALLY us, and we told him because if you were to become a widow- we'd kick his dead ass…and then he was unconscious- he was basically trying to stall long enough to save you- that's all. He didn't expect to win."

Mum let out a laugh, and smiled. "Thank you Harry. And you too Ron." She looked like she wanted to get up and hug them, but not enough to leave dad's sickbed. "Our lives are in your debt…I can never repay you…God, Draco, he's so stupid sometimes."

"We help because you're the gift we get in return for the help we give out. We love you- we all do. Honorary Weasley and Potter, you are."

"P.s- I agree with that last statement." Hermione added in, as she stood up, surveying her work on the wounds. "There, he should be okay, but it's no promise. He is on the verge of death. Small coma- but he's bound to wake up sometime…I've done all I can do for now. All we can do now is wait and watch."

My mom grinned when Ron said, "That's why I love you!" and he crossed the room to wrap his arm around her waist. She looked at her own love, and her smile fell a bit. Comatose…that wasn't a good thing.

"Should we bring him upstairs into one of the bedrooms?" she said, looking up from him to her friends.

"That might not be the wisest thing right now, as he's still not stable…soon- I'll be able to see what we need to do- but I'm not Healer." Hermione said.

"You're as good as one." I heard from the kitchen.

"GINNY!" her husband yelled, but grinned while trying to sound angry, so the point was defeated.

My dad could die…and a man who wanted us dead- was in our home…tied up…this was too much. But it all made sense now. The burn book…the message- coming for my dad and granddad- and the rest of us Malfoys. And anyone else who had been a defected Death Eater was in trouble too.

"Bloody hell." I whispered so low without moving my lips that only Albus heard me, and he looked to me slowly, and looked at me with pity- but he was obviously glad his dad was okay, and Rose was obviously elated her father wasn't in my dad's state. They were counting their blessings, and pitying me. I thought that if I was born into any other family, I wouldn't have to deal with the things I was dealing with. And I guess it could be true, if you thought about it.

"Well," Harry and Ron clapped their hands to end the silence, "we should probably go and round up Crabbe and bring him back to Azkaban and talk to the officials that dead with this…besides me." Harry said. Then they apparated again, and the Ginny walked back in with a tray of cookies and tea, and the delicious smell did not even stir me from my state of stillness.

"Here, eat 'Nise. You need to. He'll be the same if you relax, or not." She pushed the tray towards her. Rose's mum went out the room, saying she had to arrange some things, and I knew it was either or work, or something about us having to stay here for a while, and she putting together some arrangements…but I knew she was going to assist her husband and best friend when I heard the pop of Apparation from the other room, and knowing Rose, I knew she was her mum, so she would probably grab some important things from the Manor and clean up from the fight…So it was all us kids, and my mum, and Mrs. Potter.

Finally, James did something from behind me, and Lily and Hugo attacked him from both sides by kicking him in the shin.

"OW!" I heard distinctly, and then the adults realized us there.

I got wide-eyed and sprinted back up the stairs into Albus' room. Rose and Albus did a double-take at me, and then ran after me, and the other three followed behind sheepishly.

"Go and talk to him Dee. He needs some answers."

She must've been hesitant, because Ginny added, "I'll watch him for you. Any change I'll call for you."

I wasn't paying attention anymore. I got to the bedroom and collapsed on the bed, so my legs hung off the side. Rose and Albus were looking in each room as they went down the hall, because they weren't as fast and athletic as me, and saw me in his room, and entered sadly, and sat on either side of me on the bed, putting their legs up too, sitting on their knees or cross-legged.

Lily, Hugo, and James ran in next and sat on the floor in front of me, looking up to me, pitying me.

"Scorp-"Hugo started for everyone.

"I don't want your pity." I said monotonously.

"Scorpius- we do not pity you." Rose and James said annoyed. "We're always jealous in fact- that huge property- and all that wealth…and you are such a good person, considering you're a Slytherin." James winked, as he added the last part.

"Your dad is going to be fine. My dad said once it's amazing how he never dies! He always manages to escape!" Hugo piped up.

"Scorpius- everyone's been through rough patches. You're not the only one." Albus and Rose said quietly. I sat up lazily, but still did not get off the bed.

"What are you talking about?" I turned my head to Rose.

"When the people you love leave you, or go after someone else- that hurts." Who was she talking about, and when was this? I thought she was so untroubled- besides schoolwork overload binges she goes on. Everyone else in the room seemed to understand perfectly though.

"Whatever," I said, brushing it off like a pesky little bug. "At least you don't have Death Eaters trying to kill you and your parents!"

"Oh, they'd like to. We're in the same boat." Albus said knowingly.

I looked to little Lily, who looked scared by this realization we were on the enemies' list because of our last names when it came down to it.

I got off the bed, and crouched down to her height and spoke, "I'm so selfish. I'm sorry for frightening you, Lily. You're going to be fine. Your brothers and I will protect you before anyone gets to you. They want you; they go through all of us."

She looked ahead at me, and ran over to me, surprising me with a fierce hug.

I had my arms out awkwardly at first, then smiled, and hugged her too.

There was a knock on the open door, and Lily pulled away, and I let her go, and looked up to see my mother standing there, looking slightly unsure that she should be there, but smiled at us, but her eyes were focused on me.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering if I could speak with my son, privately."

"Sure Mrs. Malfoy." Rose hopped off the bed, and was careful not to touch me as she walked past, out the door following her brother and Lily. Why she was upset, I had no idea. Was it something I said? Girls were so weird, so I shrugged it off. Albus, when he passed, pat my back, in our code- meaning good luck. Then, he looked back once as walked out of view in the hallway, and James passed me, giving me his own signal for luck. Then, once everyone left, I went to sit in a chair in the corner of the room, and my mother closed the door and went over to me.

It was quiet, and she finally spoke up, her voice cracking, and she was wringing her hands in an effort to give herself something to do (she obviously wanted to be with my dad downstairs), "Scorpius-"

**...**

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	29. Miracle

Denise's POV

This was so much harder than it should have been. I mentally kicked myself for hiding everything from him. He was finding everything the hard way. He should just be carefree, and happy. Quidditch Slytherin Seeker, one of the new trio, he was popular, smart…and maybe too smart. He was determined, I could see that. He could never face a failure. Just like his father.

Draco. He was downstairs, and I had no idea if he would live to see another day. If Draco was here, he'd have an easier time with this. He always knew what to say to Scorpius. However, I was always at a loss for words. My parents had never been great at showing me off, and I'd always been inferior, but Draco, he'd been an only child, showered with affection and gifts, and Scorpius just fit him more.

Scorpius' was sitting in a chair in the corner, and he looked to the side, towards the floor, his mouth set firmly in a grim, straight line. He didn't want to talk to me. He looked so stubborn, and precisely like his father. It was always so hard to look at one of them, without immediately thinking of the other. What would I do if I became widowed? It'd be Scorpius and I…and he'd go to Hogwarts for the majority of the year…I'd be all alone. Of course, all my friends would have my back, but going out anywhere, or staying in, I'd be constantly reminded of my husband. Considering whenever I went somewhere, everyone in lower classes would bow their heads as they passed knowingly and nicely, saying, "Mrs. Malfoy." But no matter what pain it would cost me, I'd never, ever change my name back to Diggory. Malfoy is what I wanted to be, because it meant I was Draco's.

"Scorpius-" I started and my voice immediately cracked.

Scorpius, not looking up, interrupted, and asked, "Dad has to make it…right?"

"What?" I asked, crinkling my nose in confusion.

This time, he lifted up his head, and I let out a sad breath, as I saw tears glittering in his gray eyes. He looked like a truly scared little kid. "Dad…you said he'd be fine..but I saw…saw…" he gulped. "Everything- your screaming and cries, everyone's panic and hysteria. I heard everything too."

Another piece of my heart broke.

"Dad…he looked so…" he stopped, unable to speak. "What's going to happen if he dies Mummy? What'll happen to _**us**_? I love him mummy. I don't want to lose him. It's unfair! He can't die, he can't. He just can't. There are so many things we haven't gotten to do yet! I didn't even get to say goodbye, and…and…" he was sobbing freely now, something that rarely happened, since he had a big head a lot, and tried to be a man. And men didn't cry, according to him, it was a sign of weakness. But every kid has their breaking point. Scorpius was much braver then I had ever been, but this had to devastate him, he was so close to his father, it was uncanny.

I crossed over to him a few short strides, and kneeling on the ground, took him into my arms and he sobbed into my chest, his arms wrapped around me too, and he was shaking so hard, the cries wracking his body. "Scorpius. Sweetie." I soothed, whispering in his ear in a motherly tone. "Daddy won't leave. He won't leave. He could never do that to us."

"What if he doesn't have a choice?" he whispered hoarsely.

An innocent question really. What if he doesn't have a choice? _"Don't you understand! I have to do this!...Or he'll kill me, he'll kill my whole family!...Everything I've done is to protect her! If he realizes she's my weakness…he'll torture her."_

Choices defined us. But Draco had never really had a say in the matter of his own fate…except for us; Scorpius and me.

"He'll fight them. He promised." I looked at my wedding ring, where on the inside, was engraved his promise to keep his promises to me forever from that point on…

He cried, and I held back my tears as I felt his arms around me too. I had to be strong for him. I would not break again.

….

Scorpius fell asleep in my arms after crying his heart out, and I put him on top of Albus' bed, and turned off the light. I was outside the room, and was closing the room, and stopped, my hand still on the knob, I stood, and looked into the darkened room at my son. He looked peaceful, but tear tracks on his pale face told otherwise. I sighed, and closed the door all the way. I went across the hall into James' room where everyone was waiting. Lily had gone to her room already, and Hugo was on the floor in his sleeping bag, sleeping tightly. James was asleep, but I went closer for an instant, to check if he really was, or was kidding. I knew how to detect lies.

But he was breathing shallowly, and he was truly sleeping. But Albus and Rose jumped up and looked at me expectantly.

"Is he okay? Can we go talk to him?" Rose asked, a small tone of panic in her voice. I smiled down at her, knowing what exactly was racing through her mind and said, "He fell asleep. He's so worried and tired out…I'm surprised he managed to fall asleep though."

"That's Scorpius. Always underestimating reasons for heartache." muttered Rose angrily.

"Oh, and Albus- he's sleeping on your bed-"

"I'll pull out my sleeping bag and sleep on it. No biggie." He shrugged it off.

"And Rose, I suggest you get to sleep too." I said coyly.

"Yes Mrs. Malfoy." She shuffled off obediently into Lily's room, where her own sleeping bag awaited her.

Albus and I crossed the hall after we exited James' room and closed the door behind us.

He creaked open his own bedroom door, and I said goodnight, and started for the stairs, but Albus called me back.

I turned around to him and saw so much of his parents and said pleasantly, "yes?"

"You don't have to worry about him you know. He has us. Always." It took a few seconds to register he was talking about Scorpius again, and then I nodded.

"Just like my friends. We all stick together." I told him softly. "Pleasant dreams, Albus." And I started down the stairs.

While descending, I thought about how much a dream come true it would be if I walked into the living room, and saw Draco, awake, standing on his own, and both starstruck- he'd say, "My girl." I'd gasp his name and run to him and throw my arms around him, and burrow my face in his shoulder, as he held me, and told me that he'd known I'd have nothing to worry about.

But when I got there, that wasn't what scene greeted me. Draco was still there, but he was now appearing to be simply asleep, with blankets and pillows and everything. The couch was very wide too, which made it seem more bed-like. I saw Ginny standing behind him, and I looked at her confused.

"I kept watch for you." She reminded me.

"You didn't-"

"I did." She halted me.

"Are the others back yet? All the children are asleep?" I asked casually, as I settled onto the floor beside Draco once more, my back against the couch, and I leaned my head back on it.

"No, they're still out. Harry just sent his patronus saying they'll be a while. Hermione is cleaning and fixing up something, and the boys are dealing with Crabbe and Azkaban right now."

I sighed. "Why couldn't this have all stopped by now? Our kids are being torn apart by this- it broke my heart to see Scorpius upstairs like that. He thinks Draco might die, and he's absolutely right- but still. He cried his little heart out. I thought that the kids would all be happy and carefree- away from the Hogwarts times we had to deal with way back when!" I put a hand to my forehead, as if I was so frustrated, I was getting a migraine.

"'Nise, go to sleep. Go in any of the bedrooms upstairs-"

"No." I sad convinced. "I'm staying here. By Draco's side. I'll sleep here."

"Well…if you're sure. Just don't fall asleep on the ground, sleep on one of the other couches..." then looking at my face she gave up. "Oh, who am I kidding, you're not leaving his side even by an inch. Alright, have a good night Dee." With that, she turned off all the lights and went out of the room.

I don't know how, with all my pain and worry, I managed to fall asleep, but I did. And it was a blissful escape…for the time being.

….

Draco's POV

I woke up; feeling like every part of me was on fire- that's how painful it was. I opened to my eyes to 12 Grimmauld Place's living room ceiling.

I looked around, and felt something tight on my hand. I looked down, and saw my wife on the floor, sleeping soundly, though her face was written across with worry. She had no blanket, so I took mine off and put it on her.

Finally, I, ignoring how much it hurt to do so, leaned over, and put my arms under so to lift her up onto the couch too. Ginny came through the kitchen door just then and said, "Do you want some help Draco?"

Did she really say my first name? "No thanks Potter. You can go back to bed."

"Everyone will be pleased you're awake. Even Hermione thought you might not make it."

"Well, I'm alive and well now. You can go now."

She looked at me for a moment in study, a tiny smile playing on her lips. Then she looked around and said, "You have to love Christmas miracles."

"You know I don't believe in those things." I said, annoyed.

"No, but my best friend does." We both looked at the sleeping Denise. Her hair was messy, half up, half down, and her eyes were closed gently. "You're lucky to have her, you know."

"I know." I sighed sadly.

She looked at me again. "Happy Christmas, Draco." She whispered and exited.

"Happy Christmas…Ginny." I called to her, and she laughed as she went up the stairs.

I grunted, and managed to get 'Nise off the ground and onto the couch. As soon she was settled, she automatically rolled onto her right side, and grabbed onto me, mostly grabbing my shirt, as her arm settled on top of my chest. I smiled at her, and covered both of us with the blanket and then kissed her forehead and lay her cheek against her hair, and went to sleep too, thanking God for allowing me to live to see her and my son again.

...

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	30. Warmth and Love

Scorpius' POV

I could've told Mum about the missing chapter in the book, and the other book with the message that foretold this event- but I didn't. I figured I could ask another time, a better time. I was too preoccupied with my fears coming out to my mom last night.

I woke up on Christmas morning of that year in Albus' bed, and Albus was in his sleeping bed on the floor across the room. He was still sleeping soundly, and I didn't want to wake him, so I threw the blankets off me, and quietly put my feet on the ground, and opened the door slightly, wincing as it creaked louder as I tried to open it really slowly. I looked back and saw he only stirred in his sleep and turned over onto his other side, pulling the covers up higher. I smirked, and then exited, closing the door again behind me softly. Once in the hall, I started down the stairs, and then looked at the banister and grinned.

Why not? I swung my leg over the banister and slid down; getting the illusion I was on a roller coaster or something. At the ground floor, I jumped off the end, and stumbled into the living room to see my parents both on the couch, sleeping soundly.

My mom was curled on her side, her head on dad's chest, and her hand gripping him tightly. Dad's cheek was against her head, and his arm was around her protectively.

Did that mean he woke up? Hope flooded me, and then Rose walked in the room and smiled. "Look at the gifts under the tree." She pointed.

"Oh, they're all for you and the others. Not me." I said.

"Take a closer look." She said, hugging herself, as she stood in pajamas with long pants, but a tank top was the top piece.

"If my Dad wakes up, that's the only Christmas gift I need." I said.

Rose looked at me for a moment. "You really love him don't you?" she said quietly.

"My parents are all I have Rose." I turned to her. "Can't you see that?"

"No, because you have Lily, and Hugo, and James, and Albus, and me. Speaking of, didn't you wake Albus?" she looked around.

"No. I wanted to see my Dad without anyone around."

She nodded, like this explained everything. "I'll never understand why you insist on doing everything by yourself."

"I can't put my burdens on others!"

She giggled. "Now you're starting to sound like Uncle Harry."

She was shivering. "You're cold."

It was a question; it was a statement of fact.

"What?" she asked, zoning in an out.

I wrapped my arms around her for a long moment, and put my chin on top of her red mass of curls, and she went still.

"Better?" I asked.

"Yeah." She said, her cheeks extremely red.

Suddenly, my mother was waking up, and Rose darted back upstairs.

"Rose!" I hissed, upset she'd broken away from me. Mum wouldn't care she was there.

"Scorpius?" my mom yawned. Then she realized where she was.

"Draco?" she sat up, the blanket falling down. She shook her husband, and he woke up. "'Nise! It's early! Let me sleep!" he grabbed the blanket and turned his back to her.

"Draco!" she practically jumped him and hugged him tightly.

He seemed surprised at first, and he then smiled and hugged her back, petting her hair as she sobbed with glee.

"I…I was so…so worried! How are you feeling? Oh god- you're so stupid! I'm leaving you alone to fight ever again! And…and I love you so much. Do you know how much pain you put me through?"

"Sh. I'm so sorry. But we're safe now. All of us."

"Draco." She broke away, and smiled up at me. She pecked his lips gently, and stood up on the ground. "I'll go get some dittany and…stuff to help relieve the pain." She looked at me, and then left the room.

Dad watched her pass me, and then focused his gaze on me.

"Son." He said simply.

"Dad!" I ran over, and clambered onto the couch, and he held me in his lap as I wrapped my arms around his back. Like when I was little- but this time- my arms could actually reach all the way around. "We…we were scared. Last night, you looked so terrible…and we were afraid you'd die. I was sobbing; worrying you'd leave me and mummy."

"I could never leave you or Mummy, Scorp. You need me, just as much as I need you. I'm so sorry for frightening you all. But I'm here now. It's fine."

"Father, I love you so much. I was ready to sacrifice everything just to talk to you again!"

He laughed. "You're fine now."

Then, Mum came back in, and announced she was going to clean Dad up, and I got off the couch, and went over to the gifts and saw all the gifts from home here.

Mrs. Weasley must've brought them over as her surprise when she cleaned up the house last night.

I smiled.

Soon after, everyone came downstairs, and Mr. Potter and Mrs. Weasley talked to Dad about how glad they were he was fine while Rose's dad watched over his sister cooking Christmas breakfast hungrily in the kitchen.

James and Albus and Rose told Dad that they were glad he was fine, or I would've been mopey forever.

I sarcastically went, "Gee, thanks guys." From where I stood with my arms crossed.

Rose looked over, and blushed immediately and turned away again.

"C'mon Scorp! Look what Santa brought!" Lily came and took my hand, leading me to the gifts.

Santa? Really. Oh well. Whatever fantasies she wanted to believe in, I wouldn't be the one to ruin them for her.

I started to open my gifts and was pleased with what I got. But spending it with my friends made it better. After breakfast, all the adults watched us open the gifts, and the couples stood, the men with their arms around their wives.

Except in my parents case, Dad leaned against the couch back for support, but it was the general same effect.

Then, the time came for our parents' gifts from us children- all friends to friends and parents to children gifts had been given, but the children to parents needed to be given.

So I ran up to Mum and Dad with a gift, as Lily, James, and Albus went up to theirs, and Hugo and Rose to theirs.

I won't go into details- but it was the best Christmas I ever celebrated, even if I wasn't home for this one.


	31. The Library's Guardian

School. School. School.

Months passed without anything exciting happening, of course- maybe some students that didn't know me well shied away from me- because of my name and house, but whenever I wanted to get angry- Rose touched my wrist gently, and Albus would put a hand on my shoulder, and tell me to let it go.

I remembered on Christmas morning months ago, after gift exchanges, I went up to Rose and Albus' dads, and said, "Thank you for saving my Dad."

My mum, I saw out of the corner of my eye, looked up to Dad, and then they shared a smile, and she wrapped her arms around one of his arms- hugging it, and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

They had smiled, and Mr. Potter said, "You should thank your mother. If she hadn't come to us…plus- we barely got there in time. You have nothing to thank us for, mini-Draco." He winked, and James rolled his eyes. "You aren't cool Dad!"

"Am too!" his dad yelled over me to his eldest son. "I defeated Lord Voldemort- I am the coolest wizard of the modern age!"

"Now who has the big head?" Dad chuckled from where he leaned on the couch. Everyone laughed.

"Shut it Malfoy." Mr. Weasley advanced on him. "You're still utterly weak. I could take you easy."

"Oh, no you won't." my mother stepped in front of her husband, and the other women chimed in, but Dad and Rose's dad broke into laughter.

"At least you haven't changed a bit!" Dad choked out.

Then, Mr. Weasley turned to me. "Thank god you're nothing like him- at least not a slimy git-" He narrowed his eyes at Dad.

"Or a two-faced bastard!" Hermione piped in.

Ginny smacked her, "There are children here Hermione!" but the little ones were too busy with their toys to pay any attention to what us older folk were talking about.

"You're a good kid for a Slytherin. You'd have to be- or Rosie wouldn't like you so much-"

"DAD!" Rose shouted, blushing as deep as her hair, but I ignored it.

All the adults laughed, and Albus and James did too, but I stood there in blank confusion, and Rose in embarrassment.

But those times were gone, and school was back.

One day, I'd had enough, and I finally got the courage to ask someone about the missing chapter in the Death Eater book. So, I got the book out of the regular spot I had left it in months before during a free period. As a force of habit in the huge private library back at the Manor, I wiped it off- as if it were dusty. Too many times, I'd pulled dusty books off the shelves at home, and got dust and grime in my eyes.

"Madam Pince- I found this book with a full chapter missing."

"Let me see that." She nastily said, as if she were accusing me of the ordeal. Her eyes narrowed, and then she saw the cover on the book, and her eyes widened. She handed it back to me. "I see nothing wrong." She said stiffly.

"But you didn't open it! I didn't say the seam was ruined! Or the cover bindings were ruined! A chapter- a good 30 pages are completely gone! Shouldn't you place an order for another one?"

"No one has complained about this book before, you are lying boy. Now get out of the library."

"LOOK!" I shouted, and she glared at me for yelling in the "sacred" place of books. "Look at this!" I hissed in a loud whisper. I flipped the book open to the break. You saw the chapter for my grandfather on one side, and the chapter on my great-aunt on the other, and in the middle- were all the little edges of paper- as if the pages had been torn out.

She was forced to realize. "Alright fine. The book hasn't always been like this- but it has been for a few years now. People complain once in a blue moon, they're so unperceptive." She rolled her eyes. "But go see Professor McGonagall. The Headmaster is out on business this week, but she is taking the responsibilities up for him- just as she always does when no headmaster is around."

"Thank you." I turned to go, but she said something else. "Oh, she won't be in her office or classroom- she'll be in the Headmaster's office. I think you'll find what you're looking for there…if…you are deemed worthy enough to find it."

I left without another word, and headed up the Headmaster's office, then, I realized, once in front of the gargoyle, I didn't know the password.

But, with my luck, after a few minutes of standing there, looking like a fool, the gargoyle going on about the Battle of Hogwarts and how my dad walked right over him, ignoring him when he needed to be repaired. I wanted to snort at the gargoyle's ridiculousness, but James shouted my name and jogged over, asking what I was doing, which in turn I asked him what he was doing.

He was skipping class- which he'd get a detention for later. Then it dawned on me, James the troublemaker, he must've been to the Headmaster's office a million times over the course of the past few months.

"James, you know the password to the Headmaster's office? The gargoyle won't give me a hint."

"Sure, it's Spop Dica." The gargoyle jumped aside, and the passage formed to go upstairs.

"Thanks." I breathed. "I didn't know how much more of this gargoyle I could take."

He laughed, and said, "This headmaster always chooses candy, and makes them backwards, unlike Dumbledore- according to my Dad- he used candies too- just the right way forwards…well, bye Scorp." Then he saw the book.

"What's that?"

"The book with the chapter missing." I explained simply.

He held out his hands. "Can I look?"

"Sure." I handed it to him. He flipped open the book and quickly saw what the problem was.

He grimaced, then snapped it shut, and handed it back over to me. "Good luck with that. But II should seriously get going. See you around, Scorp." He waved to me, and disappeared around the corner. I shook my head, smiling though, and then climbed the spiraling stairs up the office.

I knocked once at the door, and McGonagall's voice rang out, "Come in Mr. Malfoy."

I hesitantly opened the door, and entered, ready to state my case.


	32. Found

"Good afternoon Professor." I said out of manners and sat in the chair across from the Headmaster's desk. Last time I was in here, my parents had come with a surprise visit, and knew then not to underestimate them. But I was here under different circumstances now.

"Mr. Malfoy. Madam Pince has informed me of a book she feels that I should look at?"

"Yes." I handed it over to her. "The Death Eater book. My father isn't in it. The chapter that I'm guessing is his- is missing. 30 pages…gone!"

"I see…I'll have to talk with your father for a moment, excuse me." She then used the Floo Network and I heard the name of my home being yelled out before she stuck her head in the green flames for head-only transport.

"They'll be at work!" I shouted from my seat, not looking up at her.

She pulled her head back, and asked what I said, and I repeated myself. "They'll be at the Ministry. Mum's in the Auror office, and Dad is in the Magical Games and Sports Department. He used to work in the International Magical Cooperation Department- but he said that foreigners are annoying or something." McGonagall cracked a smile, and by the twinkle in her eyes- I knew she was thinking that was exactly what my father would say. I bet she thought his career choice was something he'd do too- he'd always loved Quidditch.

"Alright. I'll contact your father. If I can't reach him, your mother, and if nothing else- Mr. Potter- he's head of your mother's department, correct?" I only nodded.

She, victorious, went back into the fire to find my parents. I, bored, thought about the different jobs of the Ministry. I knew Mum had been offered a job as an Unspeakable once, but she'd turned it down- she prized working with her best friends too much, plus her boss- my best mates' own dad- didn't exactly want to let her go without a fight.

After what seemed like forever, McGonagall came out of the fire, and stood behind her desk, and sat slowly in her seat. She just looked at me.

"Well?" I prompted.

"Your father's coming." She said simply.

"Can you really not say anything without my Dad around? C'mon now, that's rubbish! Tell me!"

McGonagall's peer at over from over her glasses made me add please in a small voice.

She sighed and said, "Alright. The book, when it got to Hogwarts- was in perfect condition…but a few years back- your father came to us, and asked if he could rip out the chapter on him, because he knew how you would be once you got here- eager to find out everything you could on your family's past- because as we all know- you weren't here for 24 hours before people started telling you things."

I looked down, guilty remembering my childish behavior.

"So you actually ripped out the chapter? Where is it?"

"That I'll leave up to your father to tell you about. You see everything about his life as a Death Eater is there, and every single bit of every letter and word paints him in a black image. He didn't want you to look at him like that."

I blanched at her. I could never turn on my father like that. I loved him, that much was proven after he'd nearly died back in December.

Then, we were interrupted as Draco Lucius Malfoy stepped out from the fireplace, and he wiped some soot off his work clothes and looked at McGonagall, then me, and back to her.

"How much does he know?"

"Not what is actually read in those pages, and not where it is either."

"Alright…I'll take it from here Professor."

"You can call me Minerva now Mr. Malfoy, you're not a student anymore." She was already her back to us, walking out of the room.

"You still call me Mr. Malfoy!" he shouted after her, but she ignored him and left.

We were left alone.

"Dad- you actually left work?"

"Well, Quidditch isn't as dire as Auror work. Plus, it's my responsibility to talk to you about this, not your mother's or anyone else's. It was my decision to rip the chapter out…and I guess you want it don't you?"

I hesitated, and then nodded.

He sighed. He then took out his wand, which was incredibly plain- like mine- and unlike Mum's.

He used the unlocking spell on a drawer and it slid open. He then reached in, and in front of my very eyes was a length bit of paper- and on the front page- the chapter number- page number- some writing, but the thing that stood above the rest was "Draco Malfoy" as the title.

"I've been looking for this all year, and you knew where it was." I said, not angrily, but sarcastically.

He laughed silently and pushed the drawer shut and walked around over to me. He passed it into my hands, and flipped through it, seeing incriminating words. I couldn't bear to read it, I was afraid. Dad had his arms crossed and looked at me expectantly, and he raised an eyebrow when I put my hands down, and the chapter rested in my lap.

"I can't Dad…I've spent so much time going after this- and now that I have it- I don't want it. I don't want to read things about you that aren't true-"

"They are, but in a point of view that I'm incredibly evil- like that teacher you have- who hates me- thinks I should be dead or in Azkaban…"

"They're wrong. Whoever thinks that is stupid."

Dad chuckled. "Maybe…you remind me so much of your mother- that's exactly what she said when we were talking about why I'd torn this chapter out."

"Everyone say I'm more like you- even I say that."

"You're nothing like me Scorpius. Okay? Nothing. I was a slimy git, and you're kind and sometimes hotheaded…but you're your mother, do you hear me? I don't see me when I look at you- I see her."

I looked away. "You should go back to work. Ministry work is a good job- not worth losing."

He hesitated, and then shut his mouth, but opened it again to speak. "Whatever you do with that chapter, I hope you find what you're looking for." He then floo'd back to work, and I called his name a moment too late, as I looked up, and the green flames were crackling down.


	33. Didn't Wanna Know, Didn't Wanna Go

"You found it!" Albus gasped when I showed it to him.

"You found it?" Rose asked in disbelief.

"What, didn't think I could do it?" I snorted.

"No…it's just…all year we looked for it…and we have it. So what'd it say?" she was eyeing the chapter with deep interest.

"I don't know." I confessed. "I haven't read it."

"And you've had the book for a month without telling us, right? And you didn't read it at all? All the answers you're looking for are in there! It has to be!" Albus exclaimed.

"I couldn't. I flipped through it, and there were so many terrible things about him in there…I was worried that if I read it, it might change how I look at him." I said honestly, looking at my feet.

"Oh, Scorpius." Rose sympathized.

She stepped closer. "A bunch of paper won't change your feelings for him. You said it painted all the Death Eaters in a bad light right? Plus, whatever is there, you can handle it. Even if it's correct, the boy you'll read about there doesn't exist anymore. He's not the same person, and it's because of you, and your mum. Are you going to listen to some dumb words, or yourself, because I'm pretty sure you know your Dad more than those pages do."

"Yeah Scorp. You said once that your parents are all you have, besides us…if you treasure you father that much- as I know you do- this wouldn't sway your opinion at all."

"Well, here, take it. I don't want anything to do with it. I'm not ready." I shoved the chapter into Albus' surprised hands. He almost dropped it, but didn't.

I gave Rose the rest of the book. "I checked it out for over the summer. Can you repair it quickly?"

She did so, and now the book was as good as new on the interior.

I still gave it over to Albus and Rose though when they tried to hand it over to me. "I'll read it when I'm ready."

"You're one strange guy, Scorpius." Rose and Albus shook their heads in unison.

James passed and stuck his head in as he passed, "Well what do expect from a guy named Scorpius? Or one with the middle names of Hyperion and Cedric?"

"JAMES, GO AWAY!" Rose and Albus spun around on him and shouted annoyed.

He chuckled and left, and I smirked.

"Well…tell us when you're ready Scorp…we'll be waiting." And they too left me.

…

The end of my second year came way too fast for my liking. In the blink of an eye, I was stepping off the train onto the platform, looking around for my parents.

Albus ran over to me and shoved the book into my arms. "We read it, and we decided you should too. You need to. Ready or not, here it comes. If you don't, you'll just be hurting yourself. Knowledge is power."

"Says the wise guy- named after Dumbledore." He then stuck his tongue out at me and I smiled.

"We'll hang over the summer break for sure. I'll see you soon Scorp." He waved and disappeared into the crowd.

Just as I lost sight of him, my parents found me.

"Ready to go home?" Mum said cheerfully.

I thought for a moment and nodded. "Yeah…I am."

**...**

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**Also, have you realized that I said this story would be around 30 chapters? It's past that, and I'm not even close to finishing. I've only done 2 out of 7 years! Lol. Well, hope you enjoyed. **

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	34. Back in the Ol' Manor

"_Draco Malfoy assisted in the murder of Albus Dumbledore…Draco Malfoy let the girl he supposedly loved be tortured, almost to death- she only escaped Malfoy Manor due to her best friends and the former Malfoy house-elf…He tried to kill Harry Potter in the Room of Requirement…or rather, led his sidekicks, while he pretended he didn't want him dead. He should have died in that fire. He's a coward, running to his Death Eaters while everyone he went to school with was to die…and he forced the girl he loved to join him…"_

I snapped the book shut and put my hand to my head, my fingers against my forehead, as I sighed- like I had a huge headache. Fed up, I flung the book with all my force away from me across the room. It hit one of the shelves that went all the way around the giant circular room, and it tumbled to the floor.

This was bullshit. Every word was against him…But I'd read the whole thing before- and I knew I shouldn't pick it up again- as it only made me angry- but I did, I was thirteen, so why should I listen to sense?

The house elf scampered into the room and saw the book on the ground and hurried over to pick it up.

"Leave it." I said, my voice full of utter anger and annoyance.

The house elf looked up at me and spoke in a high pitched tone, "But Mr. Malfoy-"

"Didn't you hear what I said? Or are you just stupid?" I snapped, pulling my hand away from my face and opening my eyes.

The tennis ball eyes I looked at with venom filled up with tears, and the voice that went with those features spoke again, "Young Master Malfoy, you are not usually this way. Would you like something? Something troubles you, or you would not act this way."

I sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just in a bad mood…you can go relax until Mum or Dad needs you."

Then, the small house elf shuffled out of the room, just as my Mum walked in.

"Scorpius, why are you yelling? I was upstairs in my study, writing a letter for Harry in…for an important matter, and heard you."

"Mum, I know the matter is about how Crabbe escaped. You're trying to secure Azkaban. I'm not a little kid anymore, I'm smart, and I can understand this stuff without breaking. I'm 13 now."

"I know you're not, but it doesn't mean I want you to be growing up. I know you can do this, but too much can hurt you…last December…you were hurting so much, and my heart shattered, because I knew I couldn't stop the hurt; it was out of my control."

"Mum…Dad's not in danger though."

She paused. "Right?" I added.

"He won't be. We just have to keep the inmates in Azkaban."

"Ugh! Why don't we just kill them all!"

"No one wants to take a life unless we have to, it's something us Aurors won't do unless need be. And I won't be hearing those things out of your mouth, young man!"

"Then you just won't hear me say them." I muttered.

"I heard that!" she called over her shoulder as she went over and picked up the book on the ground. She saw the cover and the page where it rested on and went soft. She looked to me sadly. "Scorpius."

"What do you want me to say Mum?" I said frustrated.

"Don't listen to what this says. It twists everything…for one- they don't even mention that I was in the Fiendfire, and it was Harry and I's choice to go save Draco and Goyle. They also don't say that if he'd died, then Harry would've died too. Your grandmother would have told Voldemort Harry was alive in the forest if he had told her that her son was dead."

"If Dad had died in the Battle of Hogwarts…" I said slowly, "what would you have done?"

She gave a lopsided smile. "Do I have to answer that? Because do you want a happy ending, or the truth?"

"Why would you die, if he died?" I remembered how she threatened to kill herself last December if Dad had died.

"I love him too much." She expressed. "At 16, I knew my life was nothing without him…I'm pretty sure I realized that earlier than that though…maybe around 14, or 15. You're 13 now…I don't want you to have to go through unnecessary things though."

"Weren't you my age when your brother died?"

She froze, and in her eyes I could practically see what she seeing then. Seeing her brother dead, her father breaking down, Harry too…and Dad coming to her rescue…

She recovered quickly. "I was."

"What was Uncle Cedric like?" I pondered.

"He was kind, modest, and helpful, caring…he always put me first…except…my first year…" she swallowed a lump in her throat. "Stupid fights." I looked confused at her so she resumed her motherly pose, instead of a still grieving baby sister. "Well," she put the book on the little table besides an unlit lamp, "I have to go back to work. I'll be late, but Dad should be home in a few hours. Will you be fine on your own? I feel awful that you're alone so much."

"It's fine. I'm used to it. If I get really bored, I'll Floo to Rose's or Albus's place."

She grinned and ruffled my hair. "That's my boy."

"Mum." I laughed, and pushed her away. "I'm an adult."

"Says the kid who got upset when his father wouldn't give him a piggyback out of King's Cross Station." She said as she exited.

"HEY!" I yelled, but had a sloppy grin on my face. "You're so evil!" she laughed, and then it was silent after the familiar pop in the house.

Alone again.


	35. Hogsmeade

When I first saw my friends again, they just looked at me expectantly. Even when I'd put my luggage on the rack above us and sat down, ready to enjoy the train ride to Hogwarts, they were still giving me the same hopeful, worried, excited expressions.

"What?" I asked curiously, looking across at Rose and Albus. James was beside me, and Hugo on my other side, and Lily had the window seat on our side- she sat next to her eldest brother. Hugo and Lily would be getting sorted that night, but neither looked fazed- they'd be Gryffindors and they knew it.

"Did you read it?" Rose leaned forward, her eyes dancing with excitement.

"Of course I read it!" I sputtered out in shock and annoyance.

They looked at me, waiting. "Well?" they prompted.

I sighed and glanced out the window, watching the hills roll by. I looked back to everyone. "It informed me very well on everything I wanted to know basically, but in a very negative light; it twisted facts and…" I pinched my nose with my fingers, as if I had a headache. "I'm just glad it's over with."

"Scorp-"

"Can we just let it go? I don't want to talk about it." I let out, exasperated.

"Oh c'mon Scorpius-" James started, but Lily smacked his arm and said, "Leave him be James! Gosh, there's a reason I prefer to talk to Albus or Rose, not you. They actually have a brain." She smirked and the rest of us did our best not to burst out laughing while James shouted in protest.

The rest of the ride passed without a flaw.

The Sorting was fun to watch as usual, and seeing Lily and Hugo up there was like seeing the brother and sister I never had. I was their "god brother", as I liked to call it, as my parents were their godparents. The only thing in the back of my mind that annoyed me was that I watched from the Slytherin table, and all my friends- even newly sorted- were in Gryffindor…well besides my gang.

But on the Brightside, I'd get to go to Hogsmeade now, something James used to hold over Albus, Rose, and I's heads, but we knew he'd get to tease his sister and cousin now- as they were fresh bait- 1st years.

Well, maybe not his sister, I came to conclude as I saw how overly protective he was of her. You could tell it was like the relationship of my mum and uncle, or Aberforth and Ariana Dumbledore. While Albus, Dumbledore and Potter, was mostly preoccupied with everything but family.

Another change this year was that after I'd returned the Death Eater book to the library, the Potter and Weasley children could now talk freely with me about my family history- I'd learned everything basically from the book- it was a loophole, and they, or rather we, took advantage of that. The only difference from the book though, it they told it how it really was.

By the time for the Hogsmeade trip rolled around, I concluded that this year would be the best one at school yet.

For the first Hogsmeade trip, we gave over our forms to McGonagall, waved bye to Lily and Hugo- who by now I treasured as much as Albus, James, and Rose, and we set off the road to the village. On the way there, Albus said, "Thank god we're not orphans or anything. Dad wasn't able to come to Hogsmeade in his 3rd year"

"Why not? What about his guardians?"

"The Dursley's wouldn't sign." They explained the Aunt Marge story and I laughed. "Pathetic." I managed to say and shook my head in pity. "So how'd he get here?" There was always a catch. I wasn't dumb enough to believe Mr. Harry Potter couldn't find a way to bend the rules.

"With a little help from the invisibility cloak- now in Albus' position, and the Maurader's Map- now in mine- he found a secret passage that lead to the village, or rather Uncle Fred and Uncle George told him when they gifted him the map.

"They were quite the jokesters, and this map was gold to them. But they ultimately decided that Dad needed it more than them. Ask Uncle George- true story." James had popped up and continued on with us as he butted in the conversation.

"Maurader's Map?" I asked, puzzled, over Albus' cry that James had no friends to hang out with.

"This." James pulled it out of his pocket. It was old, folded parchment, or so it seemed. "I solemnly swear I am to now good." James told the paper and tapped it with his wand. On the front of the map was the title and the creator's names.

"Wormtail is Peter Pettigrew." James pointed while Albus muttered, "Traitor he was."

"Moony was Remus Lupin…died in the Battle of Hogwarts-"

"I know, Teddy is his son."

"Right. Anyway, Padfoot is Sirius Black, and Prongs is my granddad- James Potter the 1st."

"So they created this map…and they were troublemakers. Interesting matching…smart." I acknowledged.

"To clear the map so teacher's will see it and think it's just old parchment, say "Mischief Managed."' He did so, and like he predicted, the paper went clear.

"Nice hand-me-down." I grinned.

"He also got Uncle Harry's Firebolt for Quidditch, didn't he?" Rose smirked.

"I heard he lost it though." I frowned.

"Nah, he used Accio one night after the war and an hour later the broomstick came crashing through the window into his room." James explained.

I laughed. "What a considerate object, breaking windows."

"Hey, it's old, but great." James defended.

"Okay, whatever you say." I laughed again, but knew it was true. James on that Firebolt in the past; he was still evenly matched with me. The first Quidditch match this year would be Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. The last of the year was us going face to face- Slytherin and Gryffindor. But that match was months away, so I let the subject drop.

"While we're joking around so much, let's head to Zonko's for a bit." Albus put in his two cents.

After we were done in Zonko's, we visited all the other traditional spots like the Three Broomsticks for a classic butterbeer, or the Hog's Head to say hello to Old Man Aberforth.

Finally, we exited the last shop we were willing to go into- Honeydukes, and we looked up to the Shrieking Shack.

"Ugh, I'm so full on these sweets." Albus had groaned, while James grinned and said, "I can't wait until supper!"

I made a face and said, "That's disgusting. How can you eat that much, it's revolting."

"Well, we can't all be as pompous and elegant as you Scorpius. You're a _Malfoy…a pureblood." _Rose teased.

"What's that?" I pointed in the distance."

"Oh the Shrieking Shack. Locals say screams and shrieks used to be heard from the shack, and everyone thought it was haunted- but it was just Lupin during his transformations. You know the Whomping Willow? Also built for Lupin- a passageway under the tree leads to the shack." "Obviously we're talking about Remus, not Teddy- in case you were confused." James added the last part quickly, and Albus frowned at him before continuing on with his history lesson.

"Our parents had quite the scare in that shack. Sirius Black turned out to Dad's godfather. Pettigrew was alive and he had framed Sirus for his deeds, and then Lupin turned and they had to escape…and the rest is history." Albus wisely summed up when he saw our bored expressions. We were almost up the hill now.

"Mum and Uncle Harry had to time-travel. They used a time-turner. I hear it's still in the Headmaster's Office. Dumbledore and McGonagall never returned it. I heard they actually played with it, adding more gadgets and features to it. James confirmed once it's still there- he apparently saw it." Rose piped up.

"You two enough!" James yelled at them. "You're not much better then Binn's' lessons."

"I thought it was interesting." I muttered, looking at my feet.

Albus gave me a worried look, like I shouldn't be interested in the time-turner business.

"Well, we've heard all these stores of our parents adventures far too many times. You, on the other hand, haven't. Here for instance, in this very spot, your dad was being his usual dick self and he thought he was superior because he was pureblood and rich and crap. Dad had his cloak on, and used his invisibility to his advantage- to get back to Malfoy for mocking his best friends by lobbing snowballs at him and such. To your dad- they came out of nowhere." James snickered, and I laughed.

"Dad told me some of this once. He was sure the ghost from the shack was attacking him."

By the time our snickering and giggling had subsided, we decided we should head back to Hogwarts for the day, but as we passed an alleyway, I froze, devasted by what I saw. Patricia's aunt, Pansy Parkinson, was kissing my father, or he was snogging her. I couldn't tell. His hands were on her shoulders, and her arms were around him.

**...**

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	36. Time Turning

He was stupid enough to do this to my mum? Again? After everything they'd been through. I decided I hated him and Pansy, and my friends watched the scene in horror beside me.

"C'mon, Scorp, let's go." They pulled on my arm, as they whispered the words in my ear, but I was frozen.

Suddenly, I broke free of my trance and ran away, the others following my lead.

"I have to get out of here." I panicked, and raced into the school. "If only I could reverse time." Then I had an idea, due to what we'd spoken about earlier. I ditched my friends and raced up to the Headmaster's Office. I pulled my wand out of my pocket and shouted with urgency, "Accio Time-Turner!" A time-turner zoomed out from the top of a high, hidden shelf and landed in my grasp.

All the time-turners had been destroyed in the Department of Mysteries the night Sirius Black was murdered, except one. One, because it was never sent back to the Ministry. The same one Hermione Granger, now Weasley, had used all year when she was my age.

Best part, it was modified- so instead of only going back in time by hours, you could go back to your present time, no matter how far back in time you went. Also, instead of just going back by hours, you could go back by weeks, months, even years. I was going to fix this whole Pansy problem. She'd never interfere in my family's life again. There's no way I'd be in the middle of a divorce; an object being fought over for custody. No way in hell.

So I spun the work around a few times- maybe 20 times or so, and the world changed drastically.

It was still the same room, but Mr. Potter was 17, and sticking his head in the Pensieve.I knew f he saw me, everything in the future could be changed.

I should've realized it was 20 years, not hours I'd used. After a minute of taking it all in, I joined Potter in the Pensieve as well and was careful to stay out of his sight.

"I refer to the plan Lord Voldemort is revolving around me. His plans to have the poor Malfoy boy murder me." Albus Dumbledore spoke to Severus Snape. Boy, Albus would've been honored to be in their presence; he looked up to his namesakes so much.

Snape seemed to be a negative man, from the scowl he wore. "The Dark Lord doesn't expect Draco to succeed. This is simply punishment for Lucius' recent failures. Slow torture for Draco's parents, while they watch him fail and pay the price."

I knew this must've been the beginning of Dad's 6th year, as a. Dumbledore was still alive, and b. Dad had recently become a Death Eater.

"Basically, the boy has a death sentence on him as I do." Dumbledore spoke, and I gulped. Imagine my mother in my place, watching this…that wouldn't be pretty.

Now I understood why Dad hid everything he could from everyone- especially her. What kind of conversation was, "Hey darling, I'm going to die unless I commit murder on one of the greatest wizard's of all time, and considering he's stronger and wiser and more powerful, I have a slim chance of surviving."

There was no question from how the men were talking that Dad would indeed fail; they spoke of whens, and not ifs.

Mr. Potter muttered something, and I listened closely to catch it. "Carrows said how the Malfoy's were going…I never imagined it was this bad."

What? I didn't get it, but I knew I eventually would.

I left the memory before Harry and raced downstairs. Harry, Hermione, and Ron- minutes later, were running down the stairs, and they were rushing to find Ginny. (I'd given up at this point at referring to them as Mr. or Mrs., as they wouldn't be so for a few more years. Like my mother was Denise Diggory, not Denise Malfoy, or Mrs. Draco Malfoy. That hadn't happened yet.)

So, in the entrance hall, I popped up and shouted, trying to help them (you try being in a battle and not do something to help.) It was foolish, but I did it. "Ginny's outside! RUN!" they sprinted ahead, barely glancing at me, not bothering to question why I looked so much like Draco. I turned to follow them, when I heard my father from the top of the staircase begging for his life, saying he was their side…and then it dawned on me. There was no Harry to save him this time.

My eyes widened and time slowed.

"Avada-"

"PLEASE!" cried the younger version of my father frantically. "My parents…my girl…I can't." He couldn't leave them. God, Mom…she can't survive without Dad.

"What girl?" hissed the Death Eater.

"Denise Diggory." Draco breathed, astonished to have a few more moments of life, and also ashamed for giving her name to him. It was so weird to heard Diggory instead of Malfoy, but I shrugged it off.

The older man thought about it for a moment, and then said, "You're still a traitor. However, I'll tell her you died screaming her name. For help that would never come….you died…for _love_." He mocked. "You died for her…would telling her make you happy?"

Dad glowered at him, but was too powerless to answer. What had I done? I felt my pocket, but my wand wasn't there. A surge of panic raced through me, then I realized I'd dropped in the Headmaster's office.

"No. She'd be hurt even more! She can't have that kind of grief and responsibility…please." Dad pleaded, his eyes open wide- he knew what was about to happen, and it was inevitable.

"Avada Kedavra!" the Death Eater flicked his wand at Dad. I turned away, but the green light still flashed. I looked back again, and the Death Eater had gone, but Dad lay, eagle-spread across the cold marble floor, his eyes open in fear, mouth open in protest. He was dead.

And it was all my fault. Now I'd never exist…how much time did I have left until I disappeared? But I wasn't worrying about that; I wasn't worrying about me in the slightest. But I was scared about what my mother's reaction would be when she learned of her love's death. And however bad I'd imagined it would be, it was much, much worse.

..

God? Bad? Awful?

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	37. Changing the Future

I sat there by Dad for a long time, and somehow I could not find the will to cry. Sure, my world felt like it was collapsing, and it felt like I had lost myself and not just him…but the tears slightly blurring my eyes would not flow over and stream down my cheeks. Maybe it was because I was a Malfoy, and we were supposed to be heartless and stone-cold, I don't know. The moment I'd seen Dad tumble and hit the ground like a toy figure, I'd sprinted up the staircase, my legs skipping over every 3 steps or so as I rushed in my haste to reach him, to get to him, to prove it wasn't true; that it was all a dream, or I would at least get there to find him alive, if not for a brief moment.

That's what Mum must've felt when Uncle Cedric died. I was thinking of the person who I wanted to meet so badly, and would never get the chance; my partial namesake. I could picture Mum sprinting at top speed to reach her most beloved family member, denying, hoping…to be let down. But Dad had been there for her, as he always had been; her safety, her refuge…but I was alone…not meant to be here…and I'd disrupted the course of time. What ripple effect would this have, besides me not existing? I didn't want to think of the endless possibilities.

Everything I'd said felt like I'd said nothing at all in the heat of the battle. It was like someone had switched off all sound in the world, like time stopped. My heart was pounding, and I'd screamed for my father to wake up, but he didn't. His eyes, identical to mine, were wide open with fear, and his mouth was slightly agape. I felt like a child, calling, "Dad…Father…Daddy…wake up, it's me, your son." Of course, there was no response from him.

My dad was like my best friend, but in the family. Of course, my best friends were Albus and Rose, and my really close friends bordering the line of best and good friends were their siblings.

I always went to my mum for everything, but I treasured the moments with my father. The best part was, over the summer, when he'd caught me reading the book in the library one late night after he got home from work, he told me more in depth about his life as a Death Eater…and then he'd paused. I had looked at him with a confused look on my face, puzzled by why he'd stopped, and then he whispered, "I don't deserve any of this. All this wealth, your mother, you…when I was teenager, I was sure I could never father a child, because of what I was, and what my family was. Thank god your mother was there, or I would never have seen any kind of good inside of me."

Still looking at him, I dropped the book purposely, and said, "That's what I think of the book. Rubbish." I told him he was my hero, and not only mine, but Mum's. And anyone who couldn't figure out why was an idiot.

That night seemed years away, and technically- it was…but now, it no longer existed.

I felt burnt out. Why had I done it? And how could I fix it? Would I be able to? I heard Harry say from nearby that he was going to Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest, he was giving in. I heard him coming towards me, and I jumped up and hid behind a pillar, and peeked out when I heard his footsteps stop. He was looking at my father on the ground beside his feet. He frowned, and I could've sworn I thought I saw a twinge of something in his eyes like regret, sadness, and anger. He cared…even at 17. Then again, he'd saved his life in the Room of Requirement, and I wondered if he thought saving him in the fire was a waste of time, because he only died hours later. But he spoke aloud, saving me the trouble of pondering it anymore.

"No. It was the right thing…If I hadn't…I'd have been forever holding that guilt. Plus, that fire would've been an awful way to die. The unforgivable curse is much better…painless and quick." He swallowed. "He got a few more hours…and that's all that matters. If only I'd been here...we'd been here but left too fast…And Denise…she would've died in that fire if I hadn't promised to save him."

I knew my mum, and knew if Harry had lied, she'd have pitched herself off the broom before she got to safety out of that fire. "Denise." He closed his eyes and sighed. "God, how much this will break her…she'll never be the same again. "And she last saw him…before Fred…" he gulped. So George's other half was already gone at that point…then I thought, with this time-turner I could save Fred, and my uncle, and Tonks, and Sirus and everyone else…maybe everything wasn't all lost. But this would wait.

Harry stooped down to Draco and said, "I'm sorry Malfoy. Draco, I'm so sorry it had to end this way." Then he got up, and began his walk to his own demise. I followed from a safe distance, leaving my father there to be found. I hoped my mum wouldn't be the one to first find him.

With everything I'd already done, how much more damage could I inflict by following Harry?

Once in the forest, I saw Voldemort in person for the first time ever. I hid in the darkness so I wasn't spotted, and I watched Harry die. My grandmother went to see if he was truly dead or not. Funny, I didn't remember much of my paternal grandparents at all. I never saw them, but when I was younger, I was babysat by my maternal grandparents when my parents were busy.

"Is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?" I heard her whisper.

Slowly, Harry whispered, "No." but it was so hard for him to tell her that her only child, her only son was dead.

Grandmum stood up, angry and hurt. "He's still alive." She said through gritted teeth as she shook in grief.

Without a word of warning, Voldemort used the killing curse, and she dove out of the way and then, Harry Potter was actually dead. It wasn't a lie or a joke. All this time, Harry's fate had depended on Draco's fate…their futures had been intertwined in that way.

"Cissy, you almost died." Bellatrix hissed from a few feet away…my evil great-aunt. I stifled my gasp by slapping my hand over my mouth. Immediately that portrait Father had shown me almost two years ago flashed through my mind. That picture didn't even begin to capture how much evil radiated throughout her.

"Like you care." Narcissa accused.

"What's wrong sister?"

"Draco's dead. Because of this war." She spat her dark-haired sister.

"Cissy- he died for the Dark Lord. It is the way he ought to go."

"No Bella. If anything, he died for that girl- Denise- that he loves- loved- so much." She broke into sobs, not wanting to use past tense. "She's had entire heart since he was 12! 12! Lucius and I have taken a backseat to her, watching…"

"That wretched girl!" Bellatrix hissed. "It is her fault my nephew is dead!" She only wanted an excuse to hurt my mother didn't she? After being denied by my father so many times…she didn't care for my father at all. She didn't care about anything.

"No, it's our lord who is responsible. The one you love, even though you're married!"

The sisters went silent; having touched a nerve with each other, they did not speak to one another.

I hid among the trees and walked with them, but from where no one could see me. In the courtyard, the good side walked out of the school, hesitant and fearful, and Voldemort stood on the head of the dark side, victorious, Harry dead in Hagrid's meaty arms.

Everyone cried, and I saw my mother's face full of despair. She had no idea how much worse it was going to get.

….

Denise's POV

Voldemort was asking for anyone who wanted to live to join him. Mr. Malfoy spoke up, calling for Draco to come out and join them. Mrs. Malfoy, however, stood quietly beside him, not appearing to listen to what her husband was saying…why wasn't she begging for Draco to come to her?

"Where is my youngest follower?" Voldemort boomed when Draco did not step forward. "Answer me!"

"I…I…he is inside my Lord. I shall retrieve him." Rockwood or Travers or whoever he was spoke and Apparated. I was growing worried. This didn't feel right. I was sure Draco should've shown by now. When the man came back, he put Draco on the ground in between his master and Draco's parents.

"Lucius, you wished to call the battle off to find your son- there he lies now." Voldemort sneered.

But Draco's parents didn't move, shocked into immobility.

This was worse than the news of Harry's death. It wasn't true. Draco wasn't dead…hours ago in that fire…no…he'd promised me time and time again. We were supposed to grow old together, marry, and have children…now it would never happen. It hit me then.

"DRACO!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, running forward. "NO!" Ron grabbed me and held me back, while I fought desperately against the strong arms around me. "NO! RONALD! LET. ME. GO! DRACO! DRACO! TALK TO ME! IT'S ME!" I screamed aloud and hysterically. "Draco it's me." I whispered hoarsely, for a moment pausing in thrashing and fights to get away from Ron, "Denise."

"Silence girl. He is dead, do not mourn." He scoffed. It was HIS entire fault.

"I loved him! Don't you get it! He was my whole world! But you spare nothing for love and lives do you? You're heartless. You not only killed my brother, but my best friends, and now my love?" I broke free of Ron's grasp and ran at Voldemort, but in order to prolong my life, Hermione and Ron now both held me back.

"Let me go!" I yelled at them, making a fuss in the deadly silence. "Harry's dead! We have to keep fighting!" I was on a roll, and ducked under their arms, out of their grasp, and sprinted over to my boyfriend. I didn't run at Voldemort.

"Draco. Draco. I'm here. Wake up, please." I caressed his face with my hand and then leaned down and on his chest heard no heartbeat. He was dead. "Draco, please. I love you." I threw myself on him and sobbed, in the same way I had when Cedric had died and I'd tried to get him to reawaken.

Neville stepped forward after a tearful moment of only hearing my trapped, wrecked sobs exploding from my lungs. "'Nise is right. We have to keep fighting. For Harry, Fred, Lupin, Tonks…Draco…everyone."

Voldemort ignored Neville for the moment and turned on his own. "Who murdered Draco Malfoy?" he would not stand for his army killing each other, that signified he was weak. Only he would kill his own army.

One hand shakily went up…the one of the man who'd brought him out…he knew where to find him because he'd killed him. Voldemort smirked and said coldly, "It's only fair. Avada Kedavra!" and Draco's assassin fell. Maybe it should have made me feel better, but it didn't. It didn't feel like I'd ever feel happiness again. This was different from when Cedric died…but now…what purpose was there without Draco? Without hope of winning this war? If we lived, we'd end up lifeless zombies of the people we used to be, because of Voldemort's rule. Voldemort now turned back on Neville.

Don't kill him- I begged in my mind, my body still resting on Draco's, but I lifted my head up slightly in defiance.

"Tom." I said quietly, and he turned to me. "Tom, kill me too. Please."

"Now, as much fun as that would sound, I'd be giving you what you want, and we couldn't possibly have that, could we?"

"Please." I begged. "You would have killed me anyway if I denied you…kill me now."

"Dee!" Hermione and Luna gasped. Hermione burrowed her face into Ron's chest to avoid watching. Hermione was the first friend I'd ever made in Hogwarts…on the train…

"I won't help you. It's much more pleasing to see your suffering."

"But her suffering won't ever end." Dean and Seamus looked on, with an expression of disbelief on their faces.

[SM]….

I watched my mother sobbing and begging for death as she clutched Dad close to her, and I decided to fast-forward, not being able to watch anymore of this. Seeing my mother and Hermione reminded me of Rose. I used the time-turner, and for some reason, I was in my house, but it wasn't really mine. My mum looked like a servant way beyond her years. She looked at least 10 years older, unlike how I knew it to be, when she looked 5 years younger.

She was in tattered and dirty clothing and she scrubbing the marble staircase. I looked up when I saw her whimper at something on the wall. It was the family portrait of Dad, his parents, and Bellatrix. No wonder she was haunted, he was everywhere she went.

Voldemort was nowhere to be seen, but I knew he had enslaved her to torture her…and put her to work in here. From all the scars and bruises I saw on her skin, I knew she'd tried numerous attempts to kill herself to escape from this new world, of darkness and hopelessness. But she'd been caught, or rather "saved" by someone every time.

She then, looking up again at the picture of Draco, she closed her eyes and said with fierce affection evident in her tone, "I miss you so much…I can only imagine what we'd look like together now…everyone is dead…I'm alone…Draco." She wanted him to be able to comfort her as he'd always done when they were teens, but she was so alone now, she was relying on those memories now.

She threw down the sponge, and I knew by something in her face she had been stripped of everything, even her wand. She climbed the marble stairs to Dad's childhood bedroom and quietly closed the door behind the door behind her, as if she would be in trouble if found, but on the front, the plague read her name…she'd adopted his room as her room.

The original plague shone over the bed, his name shining in all its glory. Everything about this room screamed him, and she wanted it that way. She was alone in the world, and even if she got the chance to fight, she couldn't. I watched as she lifted a floorboard up from under the bed and pulled out a box. The contents were letters…all from her to Dad in their first summer together. She was reading them as she settled onto the four-poster bed and smiled at the things she'd written him. Then, she looked up and saw me. Her eyes went wide and mouthed Dad's name. I quickly sprinted out of the room and she chased after me.

"Draco!" she cried out, and I used the short cuts throughout the house to escape. I knew this place inside and out.

She stopped when Voldemort was there. "Feeling better today?" he smirked.

"You know the answer to that question already, why must I repeat it?" she muttered, looking at her feet, suddenly losing that spark of life and hope I'd seen in Dad's old bedroom.

"Because you left your duties to sneak off again…you will never escape this Manor…there is no one on this Earth you could go to…"

"Everyone must be watching me in horror and pain from where they really are." She murmured.

Voldemort's eyes flashed, and picked her up by her neck, clenching his white, bony hand around it. She struggled to breathe, and then realizing what could happen, stopped fighting as much as she could.

But he realized her motives, and threw her like a toy across the room, and she in turn rolled down the stairs, and at the bottom, she lay, not moving, hair sprawled across her face, but she was breathing, almost a disappointment.

I'd had enough. I was going to fix this now. I used the time-turner to go back to when Dad had first been killed.

...

That was long and dramatic...do you like these longer chapters more? Hope so...REVIEW.


	38. Give Some, Take Some

I noticed immediately where my other self was, watching the scene unfold as Harry and the others ran by. I grabbed him…me…whatever by the scruff of his neck and prevented him from saying a word. He looked to me with extreme fear, as he saw himself, without the mirror, so I lifted up the time-turner in response, and he realized he must've done something wrong if I had come back again to prevent him from doing something to alter time.

The scene as it should've happened did, and then the other Scorpius was glittering, already starting to go into me, as we were one and the same, and he asked what he'd done. I told him all about losing Dad, and he grew pained. He thanked me for preventing that from happening, and then he was gone.

I looked around to make sure no one was around, and I raced towards the courtyard to see my mom. I ran out next to Dad, and I whispered to him, "Choose the right side, not just because your parents want you to do their thing."

He looked next to him, where I was, but I'd disappeared farther into the crowd already, so he couldn't possibly realize his son from the future was there.

When the time came, my grandparents who I barely remembered called for Dad to come, and Dad seemed hesitant. He really didn't want to go to begin with, but he did. I sighed from where I stood, saddened he hadn't taken my advice.

I saw Mom and she looked around, and she saw me in the crowd and her eyes widened. I'd heard this part of the story loads of times; she followed Dad, choosing him over everyone else. But somehow her seeing me must've triggered something in her mind, and she didn't step forward. She watched Dad join his parents and she turned her head to the side in disappointment as she sighed.

I watched my parents with interest, sensing the tension between them, as well as everyone else. Dad looked upset and full of regret and guilt; Mom looked heartbroken, but ready to fight for her friends. Then, Harry got up, alive, and went over to his best friends, and surprising me, Dad ran out towards them, his wand out, shouting "Potter!" as he stumbled over. He shoved his wand into Harry's hands and then joined my mother, taking her hand and locking them together fiercely.

Dad had taken my advice after all.

I struggled to hear what was being said between them, but I got that most of it was mushy. Seeing Hermione and Ron and everyone made me miss Rose a lot. It was stupid really, how much I wanted to be near her.

But she wasn't important right then, as once back in the Great Hall, Bellatrix killed Mom, because she'd been distracted after I stupidly let her see me again. I didn't make a very good secret agent, I wasn't stealthy enough!

"Dee!" Ginny cried, and Mrs. Weasley stepped up, tears pooling in her eyes. "Stop killing my children!" so she viewed my mother as a child too, just like Harry and Hermione. I watched my aunt get killed, but this time, it was Dad who delivered the final blow. He then fell to his knees and began to cry for his girlfriend.

Great, now I'd killed my mom.

I then figured if I were to fix this, I should just go back farther, because then what I'd done hadn't happened yet! So I used the chain around my neck to time travel once more.

I'd gone back about a month or so, around when Dobby must've died. I found a fireplace in the school and found some Floo Powder and used it to get home.

But the second I got there, I wished I hadn't gone at all, because Dad and the rest of my family besides Mom were being tortured by Voldemort. I bet Harry was seeing this right now in his own mind, but I doubted he'd ever told anyone what he'd seen.

I'm sure Dad had been tortured by my crazy great-aunt or Voldemort himself many times, as Dad wasn't a killer, and I knew Voldemort always tried to get him to kill, or Dad would be injured instead.

I still had to go back even farther. I spun my time turner a few times on the months setting, and off I was. I noticed then that the time-turner had a button to say what destination they wanted in the time they were…these things had been greatly updated since my parents were in school. I got to Hogwarts, leaving my home- only to see the Dark Mark looming over the school. My blood ran cold, and then I saw the lights flashing and the yells coming from a battle over the hill.

"Run, Draco!" I heard faintly, and then a moment later, I saw the white-blond head of hair identical to mine.

"Stupefy!" I heard a determined girl's voice yell out, trying to get Draco to stop running to the gate where I was hiding.

I then realized it was Mum, trying to get to her then boyfriend- and her only hope was to spell him.

She caught up to him though, and they had a rushed conversation, both of them in tears.

"I'm going with you. He'll hurt you Draco. Please, I can't stand it if you leave me here, not knowing." She pleaded.

Snape came over the hill then, which shocked me, because today he was dead, so this felt weird. He seemed to see me standing there and narrowed his eyes in my direction, then got over to my parents.

"We'll take her with us. There's no time to argue. Get outside the gate and Apparate back to the Manor, now." He spoke calmly, as if my parents fight to protect each other was a waste.

Dad looked at Mom, sighed, and pulled her with him, and then they passed me unaware, and were gone. Snape too.

I had to follow them! I used my time turner to return to the Manor, but somehow, I ended up there in August, the whole summer that year had been skipped over…was something wrong with my time-turner?

I drew from my conclusions, watching my mother sit beside Dad, holding his hand under the table as they stared on, trying to be emotionless, sitting at the table Voldemort and the other Death Eaters sat that my mom was one of them…at least an ally- like my grandmother- because she wasn't a Death Eater, but she was there.

"Avads Kedavra!" Voldemort pointed his wand to the woman hanging above the table, and she fell to the table like dead weight, the flash of green light illuminating everyone's face, and I hid behind a column…holding my breath that I wouldn't be seen. I only wished to watch. I tucked my time-turner under my shirt, hiding it so even if captured, I could escape.

Dad fell out of his chair onto the floor, and my mother's chair immediately scraped backwards and she bent down to care for her unconscious love.

"Sit down girl." Voldemort spat, and she looked to Draco, then to Voldemort…but stayed where she was.

"I said sit back down!" he screamed, and she looked on with terror. "Or…I kill him in front of you…would you want to be responsible for his death? With his parents right in front of you? I'm inducting you into my group because you are a former ally of Potter, and believe me, I've heard much about you. You're the fourth one, the final one in his little quartet. You've come to me to serve the rightful side, not for love." He cackled the final sentence. "You don't want a repeat of your brother's death, now do you?"

Her wide eyes narrowed slightly and flashed with hatred and fury, but she wordlessly nodded, and got up and went back to her seat, leaving Dad on the floor.

"Now…Nagini…dinner." His snake, which I knew to be a horcrux went after the dead body on the table, and Mom shut her eyes as the snake slithered across the table, her face paler than I'd ever seen it, except that night last year when Dad had almost died. She hated snakes for one, and for another, she wasn't evil- she was pretending to be bad so she could stay with Draco. I bet at first, Voldemort kept her away from these types of meetings, making her stay outside, waiting for Dad to walk out, so she could grab onto him and know he was alive still, but eventually, she must've shown him her use, and now she was in his intimate group.

I could only imagine what she'd seen Dad do to others who betrayed Voldemort, because he was being threatened.

I knew then I had to leave, before I was seen. I left, my mother's haunted and angry face when Voldemort brought up Cedric still plastered in my mind.

...

It's been months guys! I hope people are still reading this, as I lost inspiration for this for a bit, but I'm back now!

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	39. Another Twist in Our Tale

Ok…my mom going to the Department of Mysteries battle wasn't my fault…even if she didn't originally go…okay, so her seeing me run past the Great Hall where she was dazed after Ginny left her there got her to run after me, not knowing if I was Draco or something else. She was smart, and for a 14 year old, incredibly brave. She ended up going with her friends to fight, because she wasn't going to be weak anymore, according to her. It'd been over a year without Draco, and she decided her imagination, meaning her seeing me, wasn't going to get the best of her anymore.

So, it was my fault when she was caught by the Death Eaters when Granddad tried to get the glass ball from Harry.

Mom managed to get out from her hold and run at her ex's father, but he whipped around and with his wand, shot her down. She hit her head on the rocks and moved no more.

He looked concerned, but he immediately composed himself. I knew better. He was worried that he'd hurt her, because he knew Dad still loved her deep down. The rest of the battle went on, and knowing any moment I could easily be caught in the battles, I went farther back in time.

I ended up seeing my Dad as a little kid, and realized just how bad the rivalry between him and my mum's friends was, and was glad I wasn't like him then. I mean I was…but not really.

I decided I had to go to their fourth year…so I could prevent my uncle's death.

But first, I had to check on my mother…and see the Quidditch World Cup while in the past.

I was standing in the midst of many, but one side, below was my dad and his dad…on top was my mom and the Weasley's and the others…My mom had already ditched her brother to hang out with her friends.

"You deserve better 'Nise, sit with us. We're sitting with the Minister himself!" Draco called up to her.

She looked to her friends, but they shooed her on, knowing what she wanted, even though she felt guilty about it.

"I'll be right there!" she called down to them, and started running and pushing against the crowd to get down to him.

It was enjoyable, watching my parents at about my age. My mom _was _my age at this point in time. When the veela came on to perform, all men were glued to them, including Dad, which upset Mom, so she hit him on his shoulder to regain his attention, but he paid no attention until the veela stopped and every guy in the stadium was complaining. He looked to his girlfriend and kissed her after apologizing, and then everything was alright again.

Just my presence did things to the past, proved by when Dad was turned into a ferret.

"My father will hear about this!" he yelled at "Moody" once he was turned back to normal. Moody began to chase Draco, but he ran away, Mom following, as Moody shouted after them. I knew she would be comforting him, and I saw no point in me being there, so I went a bit forward- to the Yule Ball.

Hours later, when everyone else came back from the party, she was still in the common room sobbing.

Hermione was the first to come back.

"'Nise." she rushed over and sat beside Mom and rubbed her back as she hiccupped. "I heard…what happened?"

"Draco…Pansy…ball…" Mom managed through her cries, her elegantly done hair was starting to stick to her face in pieces, and Hermione tucked the wavy strands behind Mom's ear.

"I saw, it's okay. You don't need him."

"I…I love him though."

"Why?" she asked, revolted, but also intrigued.

Denise…Mom shook her head. "It's hard to explain…yesterday…oh, I'm so stupid! I should've known- he seemed so off! He didn't even open his gift! My charm was a raindrop…but now I'm leaning more towards teardrop." Mom lifted up my wrist to show her. "Maybe it was his way of breaking up with me." she wailed.

Hermione just sat there and listened, comforting Mom. Next came Ginny and Neville.

Ginny shooed Neville away, even though the two of them were friends.

"Girl issues." She said cryptically.

He stopped by the entrance to his quarters. "You know Denise- you looked really, really pretty. Wish I'd seen you in there." And he disappeared.

Mom cried again, "But I'm not good enough for Draco- he wants Pansy."

Ron walked in and Hermione and him started to argue and moved to the other side of the room.

Ginny moved over on the couch, and took Hermione's place next to her.

Harry walked in right after and came over to her, ignoring Ron and Hermione.

"Cedric wondered where you were…I said he'd have to take it up with you- I told him nothing about earlier. It's your business."

I bet Cedric and Cho looked adorable, according to everyone.

Fred and George finally came and they tried to play pranks on people and make me laugh, but Mom just stared at the wall, absorbing everything, being sad, and not listening- not really.

"I'm sorry." she whispered.

"**We** love you Denise." her friends chanted.

She smiled, but no teeth showed. "Love you too." And she sniffled, her tears stopped. She still had them.

Seeing a girl's pain right after a breakup was painful, and I had to do something! She'd get back at Dad! Yes...

I went back a few days, and without her knowing I was there, whispered that she should go to the Ball with Harry, because Draco was cheating on her with Pansy, just as she'd suspected.

She immediately thought my voice was from the beyond or something in her mind, and thought it was a sign. She told Harry she'd go with him, and when she was asked about Draco, she shrugged saying Harry needed her more.

So for the Yule Ball, they walked in together as a pair, and she smiled to everyone. She must've been so happy- because Harry, Hermione, Cedric, and Cho were her friends, and they were all in the same boat tonight. They began to dance, and Draco looked furious.

"She should be with me." He hissed. "I never wanted to go with you anyway. Look at what you've done, you've shoved my enemy and her together!"

"Draco, move on." Pansy tried, but he shook her off. When everyone was dancing, he purposely went closer to Harry and Mom, and when the moment allowed, he switched partners, so he had Denise.

"Draco, what are you doing?" Mom lowered her voice.

"You're my girlfriend."

"Then why'd you come with Pansy?"

"It doesn't matter anymore. You're with me now. Plus, I'm the much better dancer than Potter."

He picked her up on cue, and continued the dance.

Mom laughed. "That's true…" she looked at him. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

"But Draco…I wish you'd trust me enough to tell me what goes on with you. You need me."

If only she knew how much he'd need her in the future…in two years actually.

He sighed as they shuffled their feet, moving like one. "Denise, I do trust you. With my life, it's just-"

"Just what?" she cocked an eyebrow, her eyes looking amused and suspicious.

"I'm protecting you. Just…trust me now. I'll tell you eventually."

But it didn't last due to Pansy. She came in; stole Dad back, and Mom was asked to dance by her brother. She gladly accepted and didn't spare Draco a second glance…with more questions if they were broken up or not, I decided to do something useful, and went to the time of the 3rd task.

I got into the maze, ignoring all the chatter from the crowds outside, slipping in unnoticed. I raced through, my wand pointing in the right direction. No obstacles came at me, for reasons I didn't know, but it made my job easier. I got towards the center, and saw the boys fighting over who should take the cup, and I tackled my uncle, and immediately a sweep of feelings ran through me. I was actually meeting my uncle!

"Malfoy, get off! What are you-" Harry started.

"Potter, don't take the cup. It's a portkey. If you go, Cedric's going to die, and you'll face Voldemort."

"What? Are you a spy?"

"No- that's Moody. Who isn't Moody by the way, it's Crouch Jr. Either take the cup alone, or leave." I explained.

"Who are you?"

"A friend."

He noticed the time-turner swinging around my neck. "You're from the future! You must be Draco's son or something!"

Cedric and I stopped fighting each other.

"This is getting scary…let's go." Cedric looked around at the two of us.

"How do we know this isn't a trick?" Harry narrowed his eyes. "You're a Malfoy."

"I'm also a Diggory, so shut up and move!"

"YOU'RE MY NEPHEW?" Cedric shouted in shock. Both guys looked mortified, which made sense, because my parents weren't together at this point in time.

"Yes, and you die tonight, but I'm saving you- so let's go!"

We started running back to the entrance of the maze, and before we exited I said, "Tell no one you've seen me, except Dumbledore. Not my mother, or your friends, or anyone else."

I took my wand to blast through the hedge, but my Uncle pulled my hand down momentarily.

"What?" I asked, and he crushed me with a hug.

"Thank you nephew." He whispered, then let go.

"You're…you're welcome." I grinned, and turned to Harry. "Just so you know Harry- you need to go grab that cup, or Voldemort will find another way to come back. You need to face him tonight. Cedric may win this, but you'll win the real war in a few years. But please, be careful."

I began to put my wand back up as Harry started back to the center of the maze.

"Oh, and Mr. Potter!" he turned back to me. "Next year, when you believe Sirius is being tortured by Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries- don't. He'll die if you go."

I didn't bother to tell him about the death of Dumbledore, and all the others after him, but if he could save Sirius, that'd be enough for him.

"Let's go." I told my uncle once Harry was gone.

We blasted through and the trumpets blared, and I immediately went to hide. Uncle went to Dumbledore, and they left together to talk about inside the maze, and me and everything else, and seeing my mom content he was ok, made me glad I'd done what I'd done. It was time to head home. Real home.

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	40. Pushing Forward

It was as if nothing had changed. I was in the headmaster's office, with the time turner still around my neck…but it looked right, so I took the chain off and put it away. I was about to leave the office, so no one would ever know I was here when my father walked in.

It was silent, as I immediately tensed up and looked away. He seemed confused, but asked where the headmaster was instead. Dad had recently been instated as school governor as his father before him, so it was good to see the Malfoy name gaining some honor back after all this time, but I couldn't let my father spoil it again.

After everything…even a little glitch where I ended up back home in the present with my mother and my father not together. It was strange actually, like an out-of-body experience. My mother came by to see my father for some reason, and they were talking outside the manor, both nervous. She was engaged to Harry Potter, and my father was married to Astoria Greengrass. I had looked through the window, and ran outside to greet them after being away for such a long time, seeing all the things in their past they wanted to bury so badly…but when I got there, I saw my mother look at me, then to Dad and say, "Is this your son? He's the spitting image of you!"

I wanted to ask what crazy talk she was talking about, that I was her son too…but then Astoria popped out of house, calling my name and came up behind me.

"Scorpius, there you are! You still have to finish your studies for today! You should know better than to run out when there's work to be done. I told you could you practice Quidditch with your father after." She spotted Mum…err, Denise, and said, "Oh, I didn't know we had company." She seemed a little bit nastier, more territorial seeing her husband's ex in front of her.

"Don't worry Astoria; I only came to say hello…and also goodbye."

"Denise, you're insane. All this way for a word? I doubt it." Astoria shook her head disdainfully.

Mum seemed thrown back a bit. "You always did speak to me like that…even back then Astoria."

They were in the same grade weren't they? The same age? Dad was older by a year, and I knew Ginny was my mom's best friend in her grade, but I never stopped to think about the bullies or frenemies my mother, my real mother made during her school years.

Astoria looked straight on at Denise and said, "Well, if you're the fiancé of the Minister of Magic himself…or soon to be anyway, as soon as he drops the Head of Auror office position, you should be making public appearances…not showing up at home to a family whose name has fallen from grace."

I shuddered, back with my dad in the real present.

"Scorp, what's up? I saw your friends earlier in Hogsmeade, and when I asked why you weren't with them, they just looked at me, muttered something, and left. Did I do something?"

I grit my teeth and clenched my hands together, and when my anger bubbled to the surface I turned on him and yelled, "You moron! You cheated on Mum with Parkinson! After all this time, after all you told me, you throw it all away? Are you completely idiotic? Have you lost your marbles!" Tears streamed down my cheeks, angry, hot, wet tears. "She may be your wife, but she's my mum! I won't let you hurt her ever again! You've done enough! You don't even deserve her!" I was trembling with how furious I was.

He looked at me and stooped down. Not much, since I was having my growth spurt, but a little to reach eye level with me.

"Scorpius Cedric Hyperion. Is that what this is all about? Your mother?" I did not reply and he continued. "Pansy pressed herself on me, I was trying to get her off of me. I guess you and your friends didn't stick around long enough to see me push her away and scream at her then. I love your mother, more than I've ever loved someone in my entire life. Except for you of course. But son, you don't think I know I don't deserve her? I tried telling her over and over throughout the years, but she just never listened. The thing about her is for me, she brings out the best in me, she's my light when I'm choking in darkness…she keeps me going, she's always been there. Even when she thought she wasn't…she still helped me. And someday, you'll find that girl who makes you think the same way. The girl that makes life worth living." He chuckled. "But I think you've already found her. At least, your mum and her…our friends have. It's the Potter girl, isn't it?" I looked up, blushing. Lily wasn't even in Hogwarts yet. I couldn't see myself with her at this point. "Of course, because of age, you still see her as a little sister…someone you love and have to protect, like a big brother. But maybe…the one you really love is the Weasley girl."

Now my head snapped up and he grinned. "Years ago I would've rather died than have my son fall in love with a Weasley, but I grew up. She's a lot like your mother actually…and it makes sense, since Granger, her mother, and your mother were so much alike in school. Except I found your mum was smarter, prettier, easier to be friends with…But Scorpius, when I go home tonight, I'm not going to tell your mother about Pansy."

"Why not?" I demanded, letting Lily and Rose slip from my mind completely.

"Because she'd leave the Manor, find Pansy, and kill her! I can't have your mother going to Azkaban now can we?"

"I doubt she'd go. The Potters and everyone else would bail her out."

"True, but she'd still have blood on her hands…she'd never be able to let it go. Killing and stunning the enemy during the war was one thing, but turning on people she actually knew is another thing. Your mother was always gentle and strong, but now she's more gentle, maternal…she's strong when she needs to be. So she may come off as weak, even though she's quite the opposite."

"Her weakness is you." I said, remembering when Crabbe Sr. broke into the Manor and nearly killed my father on Christmas Eve last year.

"No, her weakness is the people she loves. Us, Potter, Granger, Weasley, Longbottom, Lovegood, her brother-"

"Uncle Cedric?"

"Yeah-"

"He's around?"

"Yeah, he's with Aunt Cho at their home in the countryside right now, but we'll see them for Christmas. At Sirius Black's home, with everyone else."

So Cedric and Sirius were alive. I had made myself useful after all.

"That's great! I can't wait to see him!"

"Why? So the world champion can give you another state of the art broomstick? Quidditch players. Get all the girls and still your kids too." He joked and I laughed.

My uncle was alive.

Alive.

At Christmas that year, when I saw him, he saw me and widened his eyes, then nodded to me hello, as if to say he still remembered, and he was grateful.

Everything was normal for a while. We even had a Tri-Wizard Tournament, and I was too young to enter, but James had come up with some new technology combined with Wizard Wheezes tech, and he managed to trick the system, and was picked. My two best friends were happy for our sarcastic troublemaking friend and cheered him on. Two other students were chosen, and then…so was I. At first my family was alarmed that something was going on like it had back in Potter's day, but it turned out James wanted to beat me hard in something and tricked the system twice to enter my name.

It wasn't nearly as crazy as it was with the previous generation, but nevertheless, it was hard, and to tell you the truth, I won, but only by a landslide. James deserved it more than I did, but he said it was rightfully mine because he had cheated on the second event or something.

But everything was normal, and Lily and Hugo joined the school, and it was during the Tournament I realized my dad was right…Lily had a crush on me…and maybe…maybe…beyond my feelings for Rose that I tried so hard to deny…that I liked Lily too.

So when I was 15, I asked her out…right in front of Rose. Lily agreed instantaneously, and soon her brothers, my best friends, were threatening me to treat their little sister right and soon all our parents found out, and they found it cute and it was awkward…but I did like Lily. A lot.

The only thing I wasn't prepared for was another attack…this time, it was the remaining Death Eaters who led the attack. And soon it became the next great Wizard War. It was a time of terror, where old Death Eaters reigned. Many times, they came to my home gates, wanting my father to rejoin them, but he never did, and they would leave, saying he'd die, and he dug not only his own grave, but his family's too.

My dad that summer, before my 6th year, got more tense around me and he took me to my grandparents' place. The Malfoy grandparents…the one I practically had no contact with.

"Draco, why don't you ever let us see our darling grandson? He's grown so tall and handsome…he looks almost exactly like you! Doesn't he Lucius?" my grandmother looked to her husband. "Lucius?"

My grandfather looked up to my father and whispered, "They came, you know. To see if we would rejoin them."

"I know…they came to the Manor as well…They…" my dad's voice dropped lower. "They wanted not only me to rejoin them…but for my son to as well. They wanted to put that mark of shame on his arm too!" My mother went up to her husband, took his hand in hers, kissed it gently, and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"They…threatened us…and the entire Malfoy line." My grandfather seemed frightened. And also he seemed guilty. He had let his son get the Dark Mark, and it was as punishment because he had failed the Dark Lord. My father learned though, and he wasn't about to let his own family he made for himself get anywhere near that kind of evil.

"Father." It wasn't Dad, but Mum who crouched down and rested her hand on his hand. I guess she cared enough for the Malfoy's she saw them as her second family. "We'll be safe. The Ministry will take care of it."

"Yes, Denise and the entire Auror office has been working overtime for the past year. But they're getting stronger. I don't understand how they can band together after all this time, after You-Know-Who is gone…but they are. Crabbe Senior attacking me years ago…that was the beginning. How stupid I was not to see it then! I could have seen this whole thing and stopped it in its tracks!" Dad groaned with melodramatics.

"But Draco, no one would have believed you." Grandmother said gently, pointing out the facts.

"But I would have made them see!" he insisted.

"Draco, you're still the child you were years ago. Do you not see that even though we climb our way back up the social ladder, when the Death Eaters ambush the wizarding world, that we will be the first to fall…to be accused, to be blamed. It doesn't matter if we were defected or not."

Defected. Defected. The book. Crabbe Senior…all those years ago came back into my mind and I knew then that the war wasn't only about the same thing it was back then, it was wiping out all the betrayers they had as well, and their families. That was their primary goal. To wipe out all defectors.

I kept quiet, not knowing what to say.

...

**A/N: I keep forgetting I have this story still. And I've come to love Denise and Scorpius very much! Oh life, how it strays me from my writing. **

**Well, here's another update. Hope you enjoyed! Sorry if it's rushed, I'm starting to get lazy. :/**

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	41. Take Over

6th year passed by even faster than the other years in school. Probably because I made sure to keep myself occupied, whether it was studying with my two best friends- Rose and Albus, or sneaking away from the castle to go on rendezvous with my girlfriend Lily, it didn't matter. I just wanted to ignore the increasing tensions arising as more threats of the Death Eaters rebellion came along.

I had to pretend like it wasn't affecting me…or my family. And my family was falling apart. Mum was never home anymore, always working with own friends in the Auror's office to bring down the death eaters, and of course, Dad was being targeted to be the first to die in this rebellion- any of the defected were guaranteed death by these Death Eaters. But since they couldn't break down the Manor guard since we strengthened it after the Crabbe Senior incident almost 4 years ago, they would gladly target Mum when they saw her, and then Harry or the others would have to jump in and protect her…even though she could handle most of them on her own.

Uncle Cedric wasn't even into his sport anymore, and he would worry every night for his baby sister. And then there were my friends' parents who since they were heroes of the previous war, were sure to be eliminated quickly as well. As for me, it was all I could do to shield my friends from danger. Even Patricia I tried to protect. Of course she took it the wrong way, but Lily, like her own Mum, was talented, and would easily take the Slytherin girl down if she got too close. Rose just flamed red in the cheeks with some unknown emotion to me as she turned away from me and the girls. I didn't understand why at all. Slowly but surely Rose and I were falling apart, and poor Albus was stuck in the middle. Sometimes we'd be patrolling the halls since we were prefects and he'd be going on about how if James was still here he'd throw a fit over my relationship with his sister, which he did whenever I saw him anyway, and he'd be yelling at me to make up with his cousin already. We basically just missed James' humor. He had gone to fight too, to round the enemy up, even though he wasn't trained to be an Auror or anything yet.

Things got so bad that year that my parents didn't dare let me return home for Christmas break, and all my friends stayed at Hogwarts too for the same reason. Our families were practically on the Death Eater's Most Wanted List, and Hogwarts was safer than anywhere else in the United Kingdom. We were so worried, what if what I had seen in the alternate realities happened? What would I do if I became an orphan? What would happen to all the adults in my life? And my friends? At Christmas dinner, we were all sitting around one of the giant tables in the Great Hall, and we exchanged gifts gingerly. It wasn't a very talkative dinner as even the others in the room ate quietly without conversation. It was a stressful time. But still, even with how some of us were becoming more and more distant from the rest of our group, mostly Rose and I from each other, what would we do if we learned something had happened to the other? I knew if something happened to her, I'd stop at nothing to save her, and for some reason, my urge to protect her stood out more than my wants to protect the rest of my friends. And then if something happened to anyone in her family, I would be there in seconds to comfort her. I'd always be there for her to be her shoulder to cry on- it didn't matter if we fought over grades- trying to beat the other for the top position in our class or if we were arguing over something stupid- she was still one of my best friends.

I only hoped she felt the same way about me, but Albus thought so. At least, whenever we got anywhere near the subject, he'd start smiling as if he knew something I didn't. I'd ask him what, but he'd say it was nothing. He was nowhere near as overwhelming about me never hurting Lily's feelings as his oldest brother, but he was gentle about it- reminding me carefully to remember Lily…and I'd get so confused when we were talking about Rose and he'd bring up Lily, but I didn't push, because even if I did, he wouldn't necessarily explain it to me.

Lily seemed to see Rose's attitude towards me when we all together, and then her smile at me would fall and she'd look down at our hands intertwined and then gently slip her hand out of mine and keep walking. It was nothing; at least it should have been nothing. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes about our relationship. And maybe I should have grabbed her hand again or asked her why she was so…cautious around Rose and me and Albus when we all together, but I didn't want to be one of those boyfriends who were pressuring and creepy and nosy. She appreciated it, I could tell, at least I thought so.

But the worst part was, by May, I didn't feel any certain level of love for Lily that I didn't for my other friends. We were too friendly, it didn't even feel like we were dating, and kids in my year and her year commented on it as well. Our relationship had been a huge deal when it started up, because it was a Malfoy and a Potter together, and evidently everyone was thinking of our fathers and their rivalry when they were in school. Even our fathers were surprised. Dad was calm, weirdly, but I bet Mum had him contain his feelings about the subject, and then her Dad was happy…Rose's dad was like James in terms of me never hurting Lily or else. That spark was gone, if there even had ever been one in the first place, I couldn't really remember.

The end of our sixth year was fast approaching, and more and more Aurors fell as the Death Eaters grew in strength. And then, we were on the train back to King's Cross Station when the train stopped and the lights went out. We had been so close to home too!

"Great. Just great. Now what!" I exclaimed.

"Shut up Scorp." Albus muttered. We waited for Rose's snarky comment of her own but it was silent.

The lights came back on and she was still there, but she looked scared out of her mind. "What if a Death Eater is coming for us?"

"We're not going to be captured Rose, relax." Lily smiled from beside me, but we weren't touching at all, she sat as far on the seat as she could from me. It was like I had cooties or something. Just then the train started moving again.

"See?" I pointed out. "Nothing to worry about."

We got to the station and we all grabbed our belongings, then went to greet our parents, but none of them were there.

Instead, Kingsley from the Ministry came over to us and said it was too dangerous for Harry and Ginny Potter, Ron and Hermione Weasley, and Draco and Denise Malfoy to come into public nowadays. Nowhere was safe, and so, we had a military escort to the Potter home, the one the Blacks used to live in. Every one of our parents was there and while my friends went straight to their parents, I simply stared at mine.

All year, I hadn't seen my parents in 10 months, and we weren't even reuniting at the station- which was traditional…or even at home.

"Why aren't we at the Manor?" I asked. The adults fell silent and looked at each other. I clenched my fists and starting shaking slightly. "Tell me!" Albus came over to me and whispered I shouldn't make a scene, but I turned on him and laughed. "We're in your home, what scene is there to make! It's a private residence!"

"It's still our place!" Lily fumed. "You're being rude Scorpius."

"Whatever."

"Don't brush her off like that rich-boy." James came into the room nonchalantly. "I could hear your screams from my room- keep that up and you'll wake all the portraits up."

Everyone shuddered, including me.

"Now, someone tell me why I'm not going home."

"Scorpius- we managed to get all our belongings out of there and move them here. We can't go back home." Mum said gently.

"What? What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

Mum sighed. Dad stood up from the chair he was sitting in and walked past his wife, crossing the room over to me. "Scorpius, you're not a kid anymore. So I'm going to say this bluntly. Our house has been taken over by Death Eaters. We're lucky we got out with our things, let alone our lives."

"So…they're using our home as their base?" It sunk in. "I HATE THEM!"

The girls in the room jumped a little at my outburst.

"Scorpius…we'll get our home back…when this conflict is over." Mum tried, but I growled and turned away.

"Scorpius- don't you dare ignore you mother." Dad reprimanded me. "I can't believe this crap. Our family got kicked out because they wanted to use our place as their headquarters again? How'd they even break in! In your last letter you said the house was safe!"

"That was months ago Scorp. They managed the same way Hogwarts was once thought to be invincible, but the Dark Lord still managed to get in. Just be glad we're together and safe and sound."

I breathed in deeply and fell to my knees, running my fingers through my white-blond locks, feeling hopeless and like things were only going to get even worse from here on out.

...

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	42. Kidnapping and Eavesdropping

Of course, war finally broke loose by the time 7th year rolled around. Eventually, no place was truly safe. I stayed at Albus' and James' place along with my family and Rose's family as well.

But I was getting restless, with things as bad as it was getting, I was about to snap.

Lily chose the wrong time to try to make up for our distance and when she tried to comfort me I snapped at her. All our parents were away all the time, with their jobs, and even my father, he'd been transferred to the Auror department by request of Mr. Potter, because they needed all the help they could get. I never saw anyone anymore, and all us kids worried at Hogwarts. And when we went home for the holidays, we were still alone, just with an escort from the Ministry for a bit, and then they'd have to leave. Who would want to babysit a bunch of older teens? I actually broke it off with Lily…on Easter. I just couldn't take it anymore. I loved her, but like my kid sister.

She was about to cry when I pulled her aside into her room, but wiped at her eyes and then smiled at me. "Scorpius…you've grown up so much since the first time we met. You're seventeen now." I looked away for some reason.

She gently cupped my chin in her hand and forced me to look at her. "You're not what your father was Scorpius. Even if on the outside, you look almost precisely like him…you're so different on the inside. And that's what matters. You're good, you're wholesome. So is he…but you have the kind of goodness that you're only your mum has…" she cut off. I knew we were both thinking of Rose. Rose had been difficult for a long time, ever since I'd started going out with Lily. I broke up with Lily because of the war…but mostly because the feelings I thought I had for her…I realized I'd had for Rose all along. Lily was simply an obstacle in my path from Rose, just like Patricia- who now- by the way- had left Hogwarts to assist the Death Eaters, she just wanted to be on the side against my friends and family- anything to hurt me. Even though I thought I never really did anything, she was a girl, and girls were impossible to even understand, so I didn't understand why I still tried.

I felt as lost as Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley when it came to girls. Dad never seemed to have any real problems, Slytherin girls flocked to him, and then of course my mother actually was in love with him.

I took Lily's hand off of me and I sighed, running a hand through my white-blonde hair.

"Scorpius- you're my friend before you're my boyfriend…ex-boyfriend." She seemed not yet used to that phrase. "I may be younger, but I've known you since we were this big!" she used her hands to show how tall we were when I'd been 11. "And even I could see…it was always Rose. Always. You both were just too dumb to see- or rather you- because I'm sure she figured out her feelings at the very latest last year."

"How dare you call me stupid! Don't you know who I am-" I turned on her appalled.

She chuckled. "Obviously Malfoy." She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "You're in love with Rose- it's okay. You two are just as bad as Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione were." She grumbled at the end.

"My father would have a heart attack if he ever heard you say I was like your uncle at all…I'm sure your uncle would have a heart attack too." We both laughed.

"Let's go downstairs." I offered a hand to her, and she took it and I led the way down, only to find her brothers there. James was grinning troublesomely.

"James- you did not eavesdrop did you?" Lily stomped over to her oldest brother.

"He definitely did." My best friend piped up, and he got up to stand beside me.

"Where's Rose?" I asked, looking around.

"She went out to the muggle market to buy some food." James said nonchalantly.

His sister smacked him upside the head.

"Ow! Lily! You pest, what was that for?" James moaned.

"For eavesdropping on a private conversation first of all-"

"Anything else?" James raised an eyebrow.

Lily opened her mouth to speak…and then shut it, but you could see she was fuming. So to satisy her anger she smacked her brother again. She turned in my direction. "Albus…" she growled.

"I didn't listen! I swear! I was just doing some studying! Even though there's a war, we still have to return to Hogwarts soon!"

Lily seemed content with this response and she calmed down. I didn't get girls at all, and clearly none of us boys did. Like Albus would have done anything anyway, he wasn't like that. He was exactly like his namesakes, according to all the adults.

We were playing wizard chess later, Albus and I, while Lily and James argued over the right to privacy, waiting for Rose to come back with lunch, but she never did.

"Did she take that cell phone thing?" I asked.

James nodded. "She's just like Grandfather- she loves muggle things. There's a phone in the kitchen if you want to call her." He jerked his head in the direction of the room.

I got up, just as Albus's queen seized my bishop.

He smirked and I sighed. "I give up! I've yet to win against you, in the 7 years we've known each other!" I threw my hands up in the hair, and went to dial Rose's number. It was on a small note taped next to the phone, and I held the phone to my ear, hearing it ring and ring, and when I was about to give up, someone answered.

"Rose? Thank god? Where are you? We're starving here!"

There was no answer. Panic suddenly filled me. "Rose?" I asked gently, suddenly alert.

"She's here." Said a gruff voice.

"Who is this?" I demanded with a sense of regal superiority.

"No one important."

"You filthy half-breed." I spat, the words tumbled out of my mouth, and I didn't even know if he had muggle blood in him. My father's blood was just making me say these things. "What have you done with Rose!"

The other room went quiet.

"Hello Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy." The man said mockingly. (Yeah, the Cedric part of my name was deleted from my timeline after my Uncle was brought back to life…) "Looks like you have something right about you. At least the Malfoy line hasn't been completely ruined- thank the Dark Lord you're a pureblood- your kind is almost extinct! Shame isn't it?"

"Tell me who the bloody hell you are! Or I'll-"

"Do what?" he challenged. "You can't do anything- and I can very well just kill that half-blood you're so fond of…Rose was it?"

"Don't touch her." I snarled.

"She really should have been more careful- in the middle of a muggle shop, without her wand." It was so easy to snatch her up. By the way, if you can't tell when your own family is speaking to you- you really are as dense as your moronic muggle-loving mother."

I wasn't a mum's boy or anything but I wanted to punch him hard. I thought hard for a moment, thinking who this could be. It had to be a Lestrange.

"Rodolphus." I snarled at my great-uncle. Husband to Bellatrix Lestrange…I should've known. I thought he was supposed to be a twit.

"Ah, so your parents did put you through those grueling lessons on the Malfoy family line."

I knew my mother's side too of course, and now, my Uncle Cedric was alive because of what I had done a few years back…but my father's side was much longer and harder to learn.

"Great-uncle, where are you? I'd like to come see you."

"In Wiltshire."

I froze. My own bloody home. "Wonderful- make some tea for us? I'll be there in a bit." I hung up and left the room, exiting the room, into the den where my friends were.

"Scorp- what're you?"

I brushed past them and went up to where I was sleeping- my room or whatever, and pulled out my trunk.

I rummaged through my things, throwing my Slytherin Quidditch Captain things aside, and dug until I found my wand. I tucked it into my back pocket, and left my things as they were, and went back downstairs, where the others were still there, gaping.

"Scorpius- where are you going?" Lily demanded.

"Malfoy, you twat! We can call an adult to handle this! Your Uncle Cedric, our parents, our grandparents-"

"Scorp- you don't have to do this." Albus pleaded.

"Of course I do!" I snapped at my friend. "Rose is in danger, and it's my fault."

"No it's not." They all said in unison.

"My relative is holding her captive, so I'm going to say this is my burden, and my burden alone. Plus, all the adults and the Ministry are too busy to handle something like this."

"Well, if it's your family- we can call your dad-"

"NO!" I immediately objected. "I can't let him get anywhere near those…those monsters. What if they kill him? What if they try to make him rejoin them!" I shut my eyes, trying to pull back from my emotions. "I can't let them hurt my parents." I couldn't. They already had Rose, if they got to dangle my parents' over my head- I had no idea what I'd do.

"They're trained for this sort of thing Scorpius! They fought in the Second Wizarding War, and even in this war they are- they can handle it."

"But I have to go to the Death Eater base!"

"Scorp- what if they try to turn you into a Death Eater?" Lily rasped, tears falling down her cheeks. "Your grandparents, your parents…they struggled to keep you away from all of that. You think your father wants for you what he had? He was forced to become one of them- or him and your grandparents would be punished. Who knows? Maybe Voldemort was threatening your mum and her brother too!" I closed my eyes. Getting my family, especially my father's side, to talk about the war, was near impossible.

"I have to go." I said. And then I Apparated back to my home for the first time in over a year.

I stood outside my gate and it opened for me automatically. I walked through the hedges firmly, as I realized a thick fog setting over the Manor, covering the peacocks on top the hedges. I got up to the thick front door, and had my hand on the doorknob when I thought I heard a scream. I pushed the door open and ran in screaming for Rose.

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	43. Rushing Terror

I ran upstairs into the dining room to find a group of Death Eaters there…with Rose in their clutches.

She looked unharmed, and I breathed a sigh of relief. She looked petrified though, as though she was scared more for me than herself.

"Rodolphus." I growled, and he stood up and crossed over to me.

"Welcome Scorpius- how does it feel to be back at home?"

"To be honest, this doesn't feel like my home at all." I snarled, stepping back.

"Aw, that's too bad. But you could learn to love this home again."

"If?"

"If…you join us. I only have to brand the Dark Mark on your arm."

"You expect me to help you in your mission? To track down the defected, and then carry out Voldemort's mission? You're dense." I snorted.

Instantly, I was pinned against the wall, my relative's hands clutching my neck, closing off airways. "So you know our true goal? Yes, we wish to rid the world of those who backstab and betray."

"So my father and his parents." I pointed out angrily.

"Not just them, but mostly yes. They were in the Dark Lord's inner circle, and they betrayed him at the last moment. Lucius and his failure of a son are to blame for our fates! They should have been locked up along with us! But no, they rose back to power! How is that fair?"

"Don't…talk….about my father…that way…" I struggled to get away from him.

"Aw, should've known you'd care about him so much- you look exactly like him." What did that have to do with it? "I should just put you under the Imperius Curse…then you'd cooperate." Suddenly out of the corner of my eye I saw Rose thrashing about, obviously not pleased where this was going.

Remembering this wasn't only a family feud, I said, "I'll stay…if you let Rose go back to her home…unscathed."

Rodolphus thought about it for a moment then with a sleazy grin, agreed.

He flicked his wand at Rose and her bonds on her legs, arms and mouth came off and fell to the ground. "I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to hold onto this." I realized the wand was Rose's.

Rose glared, but was smart enough not to say anything.

"Now, I assume you know how to get home from Wiltshire?" Another Death Eater tugged Rose along over to the fireplace, and pulling out some Floo Powder, he threw it in the fireplace and shouted a place close by to the Black home, and then was about to push Rose in, and knowing I may not get another chance to say so, my heart pounding in my chest, I shouted, "I love you Rose!"

She looked to me, tears filling her eyes. I broke free of Rodolphus somehow, and we sprinted to each other, and even the room wasn't too long, it felt like we were reaching for the other forever. She smacked into me and I picked her up in my embrace, and without a second thought, I pressed my lips to hers, and she kissed me back just as fiercely.

"I love you Malfoy." She whispered, and then with some Floo Powder, she was taken out of this demon hole.

Now I was faced with all these monsters.

"You love her, how touching. Too bad you'll never see her again. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to lead the invasion on the Ministry of Magic. Hopefully…Potter and his friends will be there." He began to Apparate and trembling with anger, I launched myself on him, and he tried to shake me off, but we ended up Apparating together, into the Department of Mysteries…by…by that veil where Sirius had disappeared in the original timeline.

"You incompetent child! I should just kill you!"

"Do it! I'll die before you imprint that demon's mark on my arm!" I shouted back, challenging him, and he took the bait.

He fired a killing curse out of Rose's wand and I wielded my own wand to fight back. How long we fought, I have no idea, but I knew I was going to lose. I didn't learn forbidden curses like he did. He was evil and would stop at nothing.

Suddenly, I could hear hurried footsteps and whispers, and I heard my name being called. Being an idiotic 17 year old, I actually looked, and my great-uncle shouted, "Avada Kedavra!" and green light filled my world, and immediately it went black afterwards. The last thing I saw was the frightened faces of my parents, my friends, and their parents. Even our parents' parents were there, and they all looked terrified. The person who had called my name…it had been Rose.

* * *

><p><strong>Denise's POV<strong>

I watched my son die right before my eyes. "Scorpius!" my husband yelled out, and he ran forward but Harry and Ron held him back, and stood n front of him, knowing Rodolphus was just itching to kill Draco.

"That's my son! That's my boy!" Draco screamed out over and over again painfully, as tears streamed down his cheeks freely.

I was weeping too, but I couldn't be the weak one anymore, this time, I had to hold it in for Draco's sake. I was holding onto his arm, holding him back as Harry and Ron fought Rodolphus, looking like they had lost a son as well.

Hermione hurried with the children over to Scorpius' corpse in an effort to heal him, even though there were clearly no cures for the unforgivable act.

"My uncle will rot in hell, there's not way he'll go back to Azkaban. He'll die tonight. I'll kill him! I'll kill him! For killing my son!" Draco lost his struggle and fell into his parents' arms.

Narcissa sunk to the ground and kissed her son's head and rubbed his back as he clung to her, a little frightened boy once more, while Lucius and I held up a shield over the four of us, as it was all we could manage.

"Mum..Mum...my child...my child...Scorpius...I never wanted this for him." Suddenly those years Draco had distanced himself from his parents became pointless.

Narcissa soothed her own baby and Lucius said to me, "Denise, now do you understand how Narcissa and I felt when you two were teenagers?"

I nodded. If I had been them, when I broke away from Draco to go back to the Battle of Hogwarts and fight, I wouldn't have let my son chase after a girl. But it had just happened. Rose was sobbing by Scorpius. Blaming herself, for if she hadn't yelled for him, he wouldn't have gotten distracted.

And I knew deep down, I would have understood anyway. I was a teen in love once too. I sort of still was, because my feelings for Draco had never dulled in the slightest. Hermione and the kids all sat together, as Hermione now was just trying to protect all the kids from any stray spells. We exchanged a look and we nodded.

"'Nise, where's 'Nise?" Draco panicked and I immediately knelt down beside him. "I'm right here love. I promise." I said, crying.

Draco and I then met eyes and we fell into eachother's arms. No one's pain was the same as ours right now. We had the exact same pain right now.

Eventually I stood up as I realized Hermione setting up a spell to shield the children and the body from harm by itself in order to fight.

"Dad- hold up the shield. Don't let your family out of the shield barriers, under any circumstances." I stepped out of the barrier, and Lucius nodded. He seemed happy with how I called him Dad.

"'Nise?" Draco said from inside the barrier. I did a fast spell without my wand so he couldn't leave the barrier, and he pounded against air, trying to get to me. I smiled weakly through my tears. "It's my job to fight Death Eaters. I have to help my friends." I then mouthed I loved him and turned my back on him. I met up with Hermione to duel with the boys and she said, "I stole that time-turner from Hogwarts about a year ago- I was able to find it...we can go back...and prevent his death."

Immediately I asked for the time-turner, and she put it around both of us, turned it back and the scene changed. Her daughter had just lost the boy she loved.

When our past selves ran in, we pulled Rose back and covered her mouth. It was as simple as that. "Avada Kedavra!" I heard Draco finally say and the green light burst and we ran in to see Rodolphus dead on the floor instead of my son. Realizing that myself and Hermione were missing from the cluster, in order to fix the timestream they still had time-traveled like we had, and we went up to the them. Draco and I ran straight to Scorpius and held him tight.

"Scorpius." we said simply, and that was all that was needed. The three of us didn't need to say anything. No words were needed to express ourselves.

* * *

><p>Scorpius' POV<p>

After I pulled away from my parents, I stood up and saw Rose retrieving her wand from the body. She looked over to me once she had retrived it and she broke into a tearful smile and then sprinted to me, and caught me by surprise whe she kissed me and then hugged me to her. "Scorpius, you moron, you didn't have to do it. The second I got back, the adults were already there and I told them what had happened, and after we defeated the Death Eaters at the Manor, they told us where you were...we got here as fast as we could."

"Just in time." I said, and held her close. I saw all my friends and their parents there. The Potters were all grinning widely, as if they figured this would happen eventually, and Mrs. Weasley was smiling too, happy for her daughter. My parents had their arms around each other's waists and were looking relieved, as did my grandparents. Mr. Weaseley however, did not look pleased.

"You pure-blood! Malfoy, you've corrupted my little girl! Oh no! What if he corrupted Hugo too!" they looked at the boy who I realied for the first time was there and he shrugged nonchalantly. "MALFOY! Your son has corrupted my children!" he turned on my father and everyone laughed except for my dad who stepped out of his place and got in Rose's father's face and said, "Yeah Weasley? I'm sure your children corrupted my son!" the two glared and then started to argue just like they did when they were in school, and Ron's friends tried to calm him, while my family tried to calm Father.

I looked at Rose and we rejoined our friends.

"So you two finally made it official huh?" James slapped me on the back.

"James." Lily moaned.

"Rose you're so disgusting, get a room." Hugo wrinkled his nose. And at first I was taken aback, and then I realized how much we'd all grown pver the years, and we broke into laughter.

"My best friends are going out- this is going to be soooo fun." Albus complained sarcastically, and I pulled him to me by draping my arm over his neck, and I looked to either side of me and said, "So this war will wrap up pretty soon, with most of the Death Eaters captured again...We're gonna finish our final year at Hogwarts!"

We all grinned and laughed while in the background the two fathers still fought.

In the end everything wrapped up nicely.

This could be a good life after all.

* * *

><p>REVIEW!<p>

ALERT!

FAV!

Yayyyy! I finished this! And it only took a whole year! I must say while I like Always Misguided more, this story has come to hold a special place in my heart. I just wish the last few chapters were bette,r but I got lazy. Oh well, hope you all enjoyed reading this, and you've stayed with me after all this time, I salute you!

Harry Potter will live on forever in our hearts! 3


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